Naruto: New Paths
by razeblaze
Summary: Hinata saves Naruto from a life threatening moment during the day of his third attempt at academy graduation that changes him and the adventures ahead of him. Together with new friends and goals, Naruto walks a new path of life. NaruHina
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there reviewers, since no one cares about an AN, lets just skip me and go with the story shall we?**

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Indeed! Many would have been so simple minded to look upon this deed as if it were a crime! They would call him mad. Ha! Might a mad man have done this so cleverly?

Hearken! The task was nearly complete. All he had to do was wait for the lesser-even an insult to an academy student- to arrive with his scroll.

Yes! HIS scroll. The excitement made him tingle in anticipation. The breathing of his chest rising expectedly, trying to catch a glimmer of the boy approaching. Each waiting moment was vexing, as if god himself had punished him for his wretched sin.

Nonsense! Utter nonsense! The village was going to perish merely because they could not stop a small little prankster who wasn't even at the rank of genin. In his own light of the situation, they DESERVED to suffer. HE would gain the ultimate destruction to destroy his enemies and rule!

His mind wondered to the enticing ninjutsu that could be in that scroll. His thoughts drifted to the 3rd Hokage. The man known as 'The god of ninjutsu'.

Could he have learned all the techniques in the scroll? If so, were there others? Maybe they caught the boy! Maybe they were attempting an ambush!

Mizuki did NOT like ambushes.

Instincts led his hand to the giant shuriken holster on his back, shifting positions to look around, suddenly on the defensive. He noticed movement in the distance.

Ha! None could fool him! With a mighty cry, he swung the shuriken to the approaching object. Just before the shuriken struck the boy square in the chest, he was able to make out the orange jacket.

At first, he had been alarmed. But he was able to notice the scroll was not with the boy.

He could not care less.

As the shuriken impaled the boy in the chest, the boy disappeared in a white…puffy-if the term was even correct-cloud, as the shuriken went right through the cloud and thudded into the ground.

"Wow, I guess there's no fooling you huh sensei?" He heard a loud and obnoxious cry. It startled Mizuki immensely. It had been so quiet, and he'd been so clouded in his thoughts, this…this failure for a lack of more insulting words, had snuck up on him? He was reminded of when he was on the defensive, suspecting ninja to ambush him, and realized how in vain his efforts to be alert were, if this boy could do it without a try.

This plan didn't seem so fool proof anymore.

Mizuki immediately had a change of heart when he turned to the obnoxious blonde. Alone, with the scroll. This would be too easy.

"Naruto, hello there". Mizuki called all too cheerfully, trying to sound as friendly as Iruka. "I see you've brought the scroll. That was very good work Naruto."

Naruto let a real, genuine smile spread across his face, not unlike the many he had shown as a mask in his academy days. But this smile was true, Naruto had never felt so happy. Happy to have found someone that gave a damn about whether he passed or failed. He never trusted anyone more. Such thoughts the older of the 2 would have laughed upon.

Truly, this boy was not ready for the deception of the Ninja world.

"Hey hey! Do you wanna see the new jutsu I learned?" He asked excitedly, not even questioning why Mizuki had thrown a giant shuriken at what could have been him.

"Most certainly". Mizuki replied calmly.

"Alright! Shadow clo-" Naruto loud jutsu cry was cut short as Mizuki shot a devastating punch to the boy's stomach, right below his chest. Naruto instantly hunched forward, his breath hitched in his throat as the air was suddenly forced out of his stomach to make room for the rather large hand, in comparison to the boy's size. Soon the breath came rushing out in a loud gasp as Naruto instantly inhaled as soon as he could.

The reaction and hitched breath let Mizuki know the hit had affected Naruto severely, smiling to himself at the thought. But then he was reminded that a punch like that should have knocked out a small boy cold. Unaware that the Nine-tailed fox was the reason, he scowled at his own weakness. Inflamed with new anger, he kicked the boy in the stomach again, knocking him to his knees, then lay another kick to his side, just where his hip and leg met, and the boy was forced to the ground.

Naruto was wide eyed after the first blow, but his eyes had squeezed shut as he received two more kicks. It hurt to breath as it stretched his injured stomach, and refrained from breathing as much as possible.

Mizuki hadn't uttered a word as he walked by Naruto to the scroll, picking it up and hoisting it onto his back. He walked away slowly and casually. He was sure now no one had noticed Naruto when he stole the scroll, he had no trouble to worry about. Heh, with luck Naruto might live another few hours. A few extra chakra enhanced kicks to the boy, who now lay motionless on the floor, save the jerking he did with each kick, led him to safely assume Naruto would be dead in a matter of minutes.

Naruto watched the man walk away through his barely open eyelids. He croaked softly.

"Mi-Mi….zuki…"

Never before had he felt so betrayed. He had been betrayed. And worse! He had never even suspected it, and Mizuki had disregarded him like….like EVEEYONE else had.

Of coarse, he'd been so fool hearty. He'd allowed himself to be so involved in the idea that someone out there would care about him. But..of coarse, that was only a dream.

"You and your foolish motives…your dreams…pathetic." He heard Mizuki mumble outloud as he continued on.

The moment, the scene, it all called out to Naruto, he felt as if the world wanted him to do something. Something inside Naruto had awakened. Not the demon-albiet it didn't know about it-, but a side to himself he never knew about. A cruel, dark, and very clever side. It was so alive he was sure it was a part of him for so long, and allowed himself to be so unaware of it because he thought people had the potential to be…Naruto shivered at the incomplete thought, wondering how stupid he had become.

He felt like he was dead. He could no longer feel the pain inside himself as he furrowed his eyebrows at the retreating figure. He knew it, he was going to die.

And no one in this world was going to care.

No! He would not die alone! Mizuki would pay! He would suffer! He was going to hurt like he did! If anything, Mizuki would go down with him. Not because it was the right thing to do, not because he had to assist the village in defeating any villain. Because he wanted to. He wanted revenge for the first time in his entire life.

Naruto's eyes raced to the giant shuriken impaled in the ground that had struck his shadow clone. He smiled deviously, enjoying the warm feeling of knowing what was going to happen, and being in total control.

Mizuki was some feet away, cheerful, but not to the point that he was hoping along. Naruto eyed the shuriken, hastily crawling to the large weapon, so swiftly and so quietly, he finally got to the death weapon. To him at that moment, something that could have killed him, was now shining in the moonlight, like it would send him into the stars and heavens above when he touched it. As he plucked it from the ground, it filled him with a sense of superiority. Yes! It was such an immense pleasure o hold this weapon. Standing up slowly, but surely. He arched his hand back. Somehow he laced the weapon with chakra as if by instinct, and threw the weapon so hard, he could feel the elbow joint pop slightly as he released it.

As he let go, he waited expectantly for the weapon to pierce the man.

Nothing could have described his joy to see his yell cut short as the weapon had mercilessly cut the mans head off from the neck.

He smiled as he allowed himself to go weak in the knees. Excepting his destiny.

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Heaven….utterly and blissfully heaven.

He could feel it all around him. He opened his eyes to a bright white light. He didn't care where he was. There was no love anywhere he went. He never knew what love was or meant. He was…afloat with what he had done. He'd cut off someone's head who had betrayed him.

He only wished life down on earth could have been solved with violence all the time.

He closed his eyelids a little to make out the electric light above him…not a white light.

His nose had caught a whiff of some flowers that rested on a side table. Weird, he didn't notice the table..

His ears caught up with the world at the generally annoying -Beep- -beep- -beep-.

After counting a few beeps, he suddenly became very irritated. Opening his eyes fully he jolted himself upward.

He was in a hospital room.

"Oh great. They kept me alive, not because they care, but because it would be a bad example to other villages that might like them." He muttered. He surprised even himself with his cruelty.

_People could just live with it_

He pulled out a few wires from himself one by one, testing to see if he would be ok without it. When he was freed of all wires, he picked up the note next to the flowers. It was a small note, bended in half, as if in some sort of vein effort to hide the message from unwanted eyes.

Get better soon Naruto-kun

He could barely make out a written name in the corner, but it was erased. The note was crudely written, he could tell someone around his age wrote it. As adults always seems to have that annoying habit of writing so neatly you didn't even know what they wrote at all cause' u couldn't read it.

He wondered who could have wrote the note, and why they would purposely hide their identity from him, even if they were trying to tell him to get better soon. The motive was so ghastly it was hardly necessary.

He however was comforted by the thought of someone leaving flowers. He wouldn't let himself dive in the feelings of someone completely loving him. Not again…he wouldn't make that mistake again.

Still. The thought was rather comforting.

He opened the door to walk out, vase in hand. However he bumped into someone that looked like she was just on her way in.

She was looking down, so as she bumped into his muscular chest, she let out an 'eep' and looked up to apologize to the doctor. Only to realize it was Naruto. She blushed at the realization she had bumped into her crush…

Her crush had a very firm chest.

Yes, she would remember this for a long time.

She bit her lip to think of something to say. Naruto stared down at the girl for a while. Realizing she was at a loss for words, he laughed heartedly.

"Here, let me get that for you".

Hinata snapped out of her gaze as she realized her ointment had fallen off her belt when she bumped into Naruto. Embarrassed, she hastily bent down to pick up the container herself, only to bonk her head hard against Naruto.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow!!!" Hinata yelped as she clasped both her hands on her forhead and hopped on one leg.

Naruto wasn't as effected, and bent down again to pick up the container. Standing back up straight, he offered her ointment.

"Hey…you want some ointment?" He barely contained his laughter at the irony of him offering her own medicine to her.

Hinata eyes also crinkled a little ash she smiled. And soon they were both laughing slightly. Hinata closed her eyes as she laughed softly. When she felt a cold pressure and cream on her forehead, her eyes snapped open, only to softly close again at the soothing feeling. She leaned into his firm fingers subconsciously, marveling at how he could support her weight with 2 fingers and still be so gentle.

And then he suddenly retracted his hands, and she fell forward. But she caught herself just before she fell on him.

She was able to hear the heart monitor in his hospital room reading a blank or 'dead' heart rate since no one was connected to it. Hinata was reminded how easily Naruto could have died from whatever had happened to him. She closed to small distance between them as she hugged him close, much to the astonishment of the boy.

"I'm…I'm so glad."

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**Well *Stretch* that was refreshing, I haven't written anything online in quite sometime, I hope you all enjoy, as the adventure continues.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again everyone. I was honestly quite surprised at how everyone was going to respond to this story. But alas I shall continue :) I thought my other chapter seemed a bit short, so this chapter and others are going to be much larger :)**

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**Chapter 2:The Rigged Squad**

"And for you, Naruto Uzumaki and your courageous actions, I award you with this leaf headband. This is the symbol of our village and our pride. We give this to you in hopes you will share the will of fire with your fellow ninja." The 3rd Hokage himself stood before Naruto.

The ANBU were sent to retrieve Naruto at the hospital when a full report of what happened at the training ground with Mizuki had reached the Hokage. He was so grateful to the young boy. Not only for killing a Chunnin level villain, but for stopping any possible outbreaks in some of the hidden leaf village's most secretive techniques and seals. So grateful, he had taken up with Iruka to see to Naruto's own graduation.

Naruto had a very neutral feeling about this situation, surprisingly. In a way he was also glad that the Hokage had interrupted his run-in with Hinata, for when she hugged him and told him she had been glad he was alive, he was truly unable to react.

However, since his run in with Mizuki, and his life changing experience, his outlook on the value of people and events had dimmed to a much more cruel level. That said, he needed to do something with his life. And the reputation of a hardly graduated genin killing a chunnin with a single move would help him get started.

Excepting his headband with a hardy smile. He lifted it up to wrap it around his forehead, but stopped to think of other places to put it on. Deciding his forehead might be the best choice, he continued his motion and wrapped it around his head, lifting his hair up, making it look more wild and not slopping down slightly at the front.

"Thank you Hokage-sama. I'll try my best not to disappoint". He replied softly but surely.

The Hokage, of coarse not showing it, was quite surprised at Naruto's burst of maturity, and not jumping around talking about how he'd learn new jutsu and replace the old man himself. The tiniest of smiles graced his lips.

Perhaps the spur of the moment had forced this maturity to elapse from Naruto in this very important moment.

"Your actions will be eve further rewarded. Jounin Sensei 7, Kakashi Hatake, is our most gifted jounin up for this years graduating class. Kakashi has already specifically asked for Sasuke Uchiha into his team, as their affinities match, and Kakashi can teach Sasuke many techniques in inquiry with the sharingan. Since Kakashi is our most promising jounin, we will pull some strings to make sure you are on his squad."

The Hokage almost burst out into laughter at the annoyed frown that now adorned Naruto's passive face.

Almost.

Satisfied that he had pulled out a little bit of the old Naruto in this new, colder boy in front of him, he continued.

"Now I can understand your disappointment. The ninja academy has kept track of your…somewhat shaky relationship involving Sasuke Uchiha. In light of your achievements, we will grant you with the choice of the female that will go into your team. We were already sure you would pick young Sakura Haruno. So we have already made it so it ill be you 3 on the team."

Naruto was appalled that they had kept track of his personal life. If they were going to give him a choice also, they should have waited for him. However he was lucky enough to have the choice he supposed.

"Umm…not to seem so troubling, but why did you pick Sakura without my consent if it was going to be my choice"? He asked. He knew the answer, well he suspected it anyway. But he would like to see what the Hokage's reaction would be.

The old man chuckled, actually puzzled by Naruto's reaction to his motives to please Naruto. The only reason the Hokage was showering Naruto with praise was so hopefully, he would continue his actions and become a better ninja.

Sometimes, when a ninja thinks too far ahead, they become swept away by what can happen between what they plan, and what they see as their result.

"Well it was only an educated guess on Irkua's part. If you wanted another kunoichi…"

Naruto shook his head submissively. "No no..It's just fi-" He suddenly interrupted his own thoughts and put a hand on his chin. "Actually, yes I had someone else in mind…" He said hesitantly.

"And that is"? Sarutobi asked curiously.

Hinata Hyuuga.

"Hinata Hyuuga." He answered as soon as her named had invaded his mind.

The Hokage raised his eyebrow at the name. He was aware of the young Hyuuga's progress in the academy. She scored nearly perfect on all of her subjects and perfect on both Target Practice and the 3 jutsu needed to pass the graduating exam.

"Now that is quite alright. If you don't mind my curiosity to your request, may I ask why?"

Naruto hesitated for only 3 seconds, but it was enough for a whole slew of arguments with himself to fly into his head and back out through his ears. Well Sakura was PRETTY talented, but he didn't relatively like her submisivly abusive attitude towards him. He didn't want a teammate whom would spend more of her time attacking her teammates then her enemies. Besides, despite her shyness, Naruto was awfully sure Hinata was a lot more combat worthy. Another thing, Hinata had the Byakugan and Sasuke had the Sharingan, they would both make very worthy combatants.

Yes, he didn't want Hinata on his team because he trusted her.

He didn't want her on his team because he had taken a liking to her despite closing his heart to everyone the previous day.

Indeed, this was Naruto Uzumaki, and his resolve would never be shattered as easily as that. This was Naruto! And he would never allow himself to be so close to anyone!

Never again. Never.

"Well Sakura's nice, but she hits me a lot, and Hinata pretty shy, but she has a bloodline and a fighting style that is unlike any, because it's only familiar to the Hyuuga family, so I just thought it would be a good person to put into our squad."

"_How in particularly strange, he didn't seem to show any interest in knowledge of the other clans before the event that took place with Mizuki. Could it be possible Naruto has known about many more events but has not given them much thought due to his lack of attention? If that was so and now he has changed, what is his full potential? How extraordinary, an academy student that graduated today, with the lowest scores of any ninja since Rock Lee, and I, with Hokage level analysis capabilities is not even aware of his true strengths. This boy truly has the potential to be the best…but I don't relatively buy his reasoning."_

"In any case". He announced, speaking as if he were continuing his thoughts out loud, although only he was aware of that."Your choice is set; Team seven will be run under Kakashi Hatake, the squad shall consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuuga. Good luck as you do good". He announced, slapping a large rectangular stamp hard onto a paper on his desk.

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Hinata had been waiting outside the door of the Hokage office. Many possibilities passed through her panicking mind. What if he was in trouble for killing a teacher? Or for sneaking out of the hospital? Or at least trying to, if she hadn't bonked her head into him!

Stupid Stupid Stupid!

That was such a horribly embarrassing moment! The heiress of the Hyuuga clan, with the uncanny eyesight abilities that allowed them to be so precise. And she not only bumped into him on her way in, but she bonked her head, AND didn't even notice when the ointment had fallen out of her B-blasted pocket.

How utterly pitiful, even in her mind she stuttered because of her clumsiness!

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the ointment Naruto offered for her from her pocket and eyed it curiously, almost expectantly. She brought the ointment to her chest and closed her eyes, shuttering at the memory of Naruto. He was so incredibly toned! How he had failed so discouragingly at the physical aspects of the academy was beyond her.

She looked at the headband that she had placed onto her head upon graduation. It felt horribly out of place there. She felt as if she was hiding her forehead from herself.

Her forehead…that was the first place Naruto had ever touched her… It was the most important place on her body now. While most would call this obsessive, she preferred to call it…commitment.

But to what exactly? Perhaps a solemn promise to herself that she would never hide from anything again. She would never hide the place where he had touched her. She would not be afraid of herself. She would honor his touch.

Grabbing the sides of her Headband, she slid it down to her neck level and tightened it slightly, but still made sure it was loose.

This was why Hinata was the only person to bare her headband on her neck.

Hinata laughed slightly to herself at her reason. If she removed an article of clothing to every place Naruto touched her, if she played her cards right she might very well walk around naked.

She scoffed slightly at the image, let alone the possibility of Naruto touching her anywhere else.

It was that precise moment, the door opened and Naruto walked out of the door, looking very full of pride and commitment. She was at his side in moments.

"Na-Naruto…what did they do? Are you in trouble?"

Naruto didn't move his neck to look at her, but he moved his eyes, noticing immediately her headband's altered position. He noticeably raised an eyebrow at it, but decided he might ask her later.

"Nah… no trouble. He was just happy that I got rid of a criminal, and rewarded me. He let me pick the female that goes onto my team, but that damned Sasuke's in it too."

Hinata's heart plummeted at the news. But deciding not to dread Naruto over with her own worries, she asked.

"Criminal?"

Naruto crossed his arms but immediately scratched his head, making the quick change between gestures slightly awkward. "Yeah..Mizuki tricked me into stealing a scroll from the Hokage office. He pounded me into the ground without mercy and just left me to die-"

"That was Mizuki?!" Hinata suddenly blurted out, surprising them both.

"Yeah.."

Hinata could put the rest of the story together, not that she cared. Her teacher had nearly gotten rid of her one focus in life..

"Why"? Naruto asked.

"Naruto…who did you think found you out in the woods?"

Naruto remained passive and silent.

"I…I was so scared."

She couldn't believe her eyes. Blood adorned the boy's gorgeous face. He lay a battered mess. Like a torn leftover from a giant carnivore's meal.

"I…I didn't know what to do".

Horrible emotions flooded her like a torrent, a giant, pounding wave. The one boy she could love was near the brink of death. It was just him, battered, beaten, bloodied. She was healthy, fresh, still alive. And yet she felt as if she was more helpless then the boy there.

"I was helpless…even though you were the victim of a brutal beating…I was so disappointed in myself…I…"

She rushed to him, knowing any actions she might try were in vain. No amount of Ointment could heal all of this. However she put it on wherever she felt it would help. She cried for him…But she couldn't be weak! Naruto needed her now more then ever!

"I…"

"It's my fault".

"It's my fault". They both shouted in unison. Naruto chuckled and Hinata blushed.

"Hinata how was it your fault?" He was appalled by her blaming herself. She was such a hopeless case sometimes.

"If I had acted sooner…I could have lessened your injuries."

Naruto shook his head and he walked off, motioning her to come with him. "But it was my stupidity that got me injured anyway. I mean…who DIDN'T know about the forbidden scroll"?

"I…I suppose". She answered softly. With that part of the conversation over, her head drooped with his second piece of news.

Hinata's eyes trailed upward to his face, witch stared straight ahead.

_Such focus…such determination…he's so beautiful._

No more hiding. She pleaded in her head as she nodded to herself.

"Well then, who did you pick to be your female kunoichi on your team?" She asked. She knew the answer, and would take the emotional blow full force, if it hurt her to let Naruto know he could trust her with his daily happenings, she figured it was equal trade.

When Hinata asked that question, it sounded a lot more like a statement.

He smiled at her.

"Hinata Hyuuga". He stated softly.

"Well she's very lucky". Hinata said through the thickening of her throat. Naruto chuckled. Perhaps if he just said 'you' and not a name she'd have heard him properly.

"Hinata".

"Yes Naru-OH MY GOD!" She screamed as the sudden force of realization hit her. She was ecstatic! She couldn't believe it! It happened! She would be with him even more now!

"Why did you pick me Naruto"?! She asked loudly. Naruto thought it sounded more like a normal person's voice though.

"Well…" He started. At the time he hadn't truly known why. Any other day he'd had picked Sakura.

He wasn't about to tell her that. It somehow seemed like a death wish.

"Because you saved my life". He finished smoothly. He thought his next action was very bold. But he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Hinata went wide eyed, but was very happy.

The next day, somehow; she would wear nothing on that shoulder.

That, she could be sure of.

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The two newly genin had bid farewell as they exited the Hokage building, the old man was observant enough to realize Naruto wouldn't need a trip back to the hospital. Upon their exit Hinata had given him another deep hug.

"I'll…I'll see you tomorrow Naruto-kun"? She asked softly.

Naruto was hesitant to answer; he didn't hug her back yet, his arms hung limply by his side, and his face a dead expression. He didn't know it, but he was truly hurting Hinata deeply.

"Yeah I guess."

The glow in Hinata's eyes changed from happy and exuberant to dreaded and sad. She felt like she was hugging a tree. Hinata Hyuuga did not hug trees.

Unless she was spying on Naruto anyway.

Hinata pulled away sternly. "Naruto-kun, I can u-understand how your experience has changed your outlook on life, but I would appreciate it if you could return my affection…or at least not be so dreary and bring ev-everyone else down. I can't seem to understand how you can go from being so grateful that I saved you to refusing to even look at me."

Naruto's expression did not change. He could understand how she could be hurt by his actions, and he should say sorry for it. But…

"Ok, ok. I understand, you're totally right. My attitude has changed but that doesn't mean my gratitude towards others shouldn't…right? Alright that's fair." He placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away slightly. Her hands only brushing his sides now. "But really Hinata, I truly wish you wouldn't act or treat me like you were an old married woman. It's getting on my nerves-"

"_**YOUR NERVES"?!**_ She hissed dangerously. "Naruto, I truly wish you could be more grateful. I have my own rights. If you must know, I would rather be your wife than be someone you ignored even when I go to great lengths to save your life."

"Great lengths? I swear all you did was carry me back to the hospital."

"So!? That doesn't matter because you would die anyway! Dead Naruto! Do you have any idea how strong that word is?! And if you must know, it was very hard to carry you back. Do you have any idea how heavy you are?!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms and turned the other way slightly, still looking at her. "You calling me fat?!"

"MAYBE I AM! After all, you do seem to eat nothing but ramen all day".

Now…NOW he was offended.

Hinata instantly covered her mouth in her head. Although she regretted saying that and hurting his feelings, a part of her wanted to prove to him that she would not be taken for granted. She wanted to hurt his feelings like he did to her.

Naruto didn't say anything and turned to leave.

Hinata let her hand come slowly over her mouth. _"I really hurt him…well...maybe I took it too-"_

"I'll see you tomorrow then." He replied as normally as ever.

Hinata gaped softly as he walked off. "I…He…doesn't even care if I hurt him or not…Hmphf!" She huffed and walked off.

Tomorrow felt like an eternal wait for the girl. All the while wondering if he truly didn't care at all.

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"Alright students, the new teams will now be announced." Iruka announced, stopping for only a few briefs moments to wait for the cheers to stop. "Now for the specialized team 7, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuuga please step outside and into room 230 to meet your new team sensei."

Naruto felt a little uneasy, hearing Iruka call them by full name instead of just their first names made him feel like he was about to step into something very big. He also was uneasy about his teammates. Sasuke was just a jerk, and while Hinata was strong and kind, he was exactly in good terms with her as to yesterday.

Now that he was placed on a team with 2 people that were both most likely more skilled then himself, the idea of 2 teammates that also didn't like you and were stronger then you was rather worrying.

Sasuke was rather neutral about the situation, but if he had to choose between good and bad, he would say that this might have been the best team combination of all time for him.

Of coarse, he was still disappointed with their skills.

He had to count his blessings. Of all the female Kunoichi, Hinata was probably the best choice. Not only was she skilled, but she wasn't a screaming fan girl, she was very timid and it might be very easy to intimidate her if she got on his nerves. However she had her misgivings, she was too timid to be a shinobi, and might do horribly under pressure, or in a one on one battle.

However she also had the Byakugan, that was a fair trade for a person of her stature. Albeit despite himself, he had no idea how she was so timid, someone with her skills should have been very confident.

Naruto was a sort of wild card. Although he had no base talent, his understanding of the 3 basic academy ninjutsu were very advanced, they were his main weapons, and irritatingly so, it's a very hard strength of his to get around. Especially since those ninjutsu required very little chakra, and Naruto had very large chakra reserves, he could do battle for long periods of time. However, Naruto's flaw rested in his actual capabilities to do battle. His taijutsu was very off, his ninjutsu was limited, and as far as he knew-he had virtually no genjutsu talent. The only other ninjutsu he was aware that Naruto could use was the shadow clone jutsu, and that was only a rumor.

However when it came to the type of people Naruto and Hinata were, he'd have to say he hit the jackpot. Shikamaru was far too lazy, albeit he was smart, VERY smart, if Sasuke was paired with him, he might end up doing all the work. He wouldn't look forward to that. Chouji was also a pretty nice fellow…too nice in his opinion, and quite disturbing with his eating habits, he might bother him for food. Shino was talented and quiet, he wouldn't have minded Shino, who was very non-talkative, it might be very hard to be able to create a bond as teammates. Kiba and Naruto were pretty similar, however there was a new vibe about Naruto, a more independent darker one, and Kiba smelled like dog. It was quite bothersome to work on projects with him. When it came to the girls, Ino and Sakura were pretty annoying; Hinata was defiantly his first choice.

Hinata was very worried. She felt very out of place being the only female, mostly knowing that Sasuke was probably going to be mean to her and Naruto also.

All 3 of the genin sighed, picked up their lunch, and headed for the next room.

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The walk to the room had been silent and uneasy for the most part, although luckily for them, the room was only 4 rooms down. Upon entry, they were all greeted with chalkboard erasers falling on their heads from the slightly opened crevice of the door and the door frame mold.

"PffffffHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" A hysterical laughter called from the corner of the room.

The 3 genin were not amused. Naruto snatched the eraser off his head and threw it at the jonin, to none of their surprise he caught it with ease, even a 5 year old could have caught that.

"_This man made a practical joke on us; he was supposed to be the best. Is he really a jonin?"_ Sasuke asked himself mentally.

Hinata shy lifted it from her head, and hesitantly off of Sasuke's, placing them on the side of the desk in the room.

"Well, lets get to know each other shall we?" Kakashi smiled.

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The 3 of them sat outside the school now on top of the roof, where most of school's smoke came rushing out. The atmosphere was slightly vague and chemical, many shadow's creviced over the roof as the afternoon sun casted shadows through the smoke.

Naruto enormously enjoyed this place.

All 4 of them sat except for Kakashi, who decided that this special selection of students was worth paying attention to rather then merely reading his porn in front of them.

"Well let's start with your names shall we"? He offered cheerfully. "Where are my manners? I'll go first". He announced, faking surprise toward the end.

Sasuke was very intrigued by the man.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake, I could sit here and give you a bunch of reasons why I would rather not talk about myself. Although you might know about that already. I'm 28 years old. My hobbies include reading my favorite books, walking along the roads, and all other information about me is too adultery for you youngsters. Now you, Hyuuga, you can go first".

Hinata clenched her headband around her neck with her left hand as she spoke. As if drawing her very voice from it. "My name is Hinata Hyuuga. I am 12 years old. My hobbies include flower pressing, and baking. I don't enjoy mean people who are selfish. And I s-scored perfect on a few academy subjects". She finished the last part, trying to fill herself with a sense of pride.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, I am 12 years old. I don't enjoy losers, so you could say I don't like these two sitting next to me." Naruto glared and Hinata blushed in embarrassment. "The only thing I enjoy is mainly learning more ninjutsu, so that I may kill a certain man. Other then that, I have none much else to share."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm 12 years old. I like ramen and learning ninjutsu too, but not to kill people with. I don't like people who stab you in the back. My dreams…I don't really know about that anymore. But a great achievement is that I killed a chunnin and learned a jonin jutsu"! He finished more enthusiastically than usually.

"Well that's that. Now leave your lunches here, and meet up again at 6pm sharp."

"Hai". They all shouted in Unison.

They all placed their see-through lunch boxes. Hinata gazed at Naruto's lunch, and audibly gasped.

"MAYBE I AM! After all, you do seem to eat nothing but ramen all day".

Her own words rung in her head as she looked at Naruto's lunch.

Salads, fruits, rice balls, and a single energy bar was inside.

No ramen at all.

Hinata was agape. Her words truly effected Naruto. No matter what he wanted to think, Naruto was a very sensitive person, and he really did care what others thought of him.

After all, it would be very hard for a person like him not to-no one ever cared about what he wanted. A simple opinion could really hurt him.

Despite himself, Naruto truly didn't change at all. But she wouldn't lie to herself, he WANTED to change himself.

She turned to face Naruto, but he was already gone. Sighing to herself, she turned away and departed to prepare for whatever it was Kakashi had in store for them. And also to buy a pack of instant ramen.

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**And there we have chapter 2 :D i most certianly hoped youall enjoyed, and stay tuned for the next episode of Inviting the dark chapter 3: Misgivings**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello friends! Sorry for the exact 30 day wait on this chappie, i moved houses and shortly after that my computer broke again :O im contemplating getting a new one. But enough of me and my lesser happenings. Before I close, id like to take a line from my good friend KingKakashi.**

**I am thoroughly disgusted that kishimoto hasn't done anything NaruHina related since the confesion now reaching 57 issues! Heehee!**

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He was rather impassive on what to do before the resulting 2-3 hours before 6pm when he was to meet Kakashi. He could…hone his skills slightly before the meeting for their…whatever they were going to do.

Nah… honing skills he could do later.

Hone his skills? Dammmit..he said that already!

Train? Ah hell, he wasn't going to go anywhere. With a slight smirk, Sasuke headed to the training field early. Making one small realization.

_I really need a social life._

_But could you blame me? I mean look at all the graduates. Especially the girls. Maybe I could knock 'em out. Heh, wouldn't that get to their heads, if they had brains anyway._

_Damnit, what am I going to do about my teammates? Naruto seems different, he now certainly has the drive to be a heartless shinobi. But his skills lack. Still, he has potential. Hinata is all the same, but her powers work almost in total reverse then Naruto. She has potential as a fighter, but personality wise, she's even worse then Naruto used to be. Any case, I have work to do if I want to build a strong team._

Sasuke almost didn't notice he had arrived at the training field. But he couldn't help being lazy before he began. He looked toward the lunches still on the logs that stuck vertically upward.

"It's nearly 5pm and he wanted to wait for lunch? If it weren't for this meeting I would have had my dinner." He said aloud, slightly sick of not hearing his own voice.

"Yes indeed Sasuke, the same with me".

Sasuke was immediately at attention, seeing Kakashi resting on a tree.

"Oh its you….you sounded like someone else, you startled me."

'_He sounded exactly like Itachi!'_ Sasuke thought.

Kakashi however did this purposely. He wanted to exploit Sasuke's personality and fears. Sasuke had openly admitted that Kakashi has surprised him when he used the genjutsu to disguise his voice.

'_He fears his brother I see…I'll have to see to it that Sasuke learns the courage to face his brother with his comrades.'_

"What are you doing here so early? Its still 5:12pm". Kakashi asked without much care.

"Heh…didn't know what else to do on my spare time."

Kakashi chuckled as an insult came to mind.

"Did it ever occur to you that you posses no life?"

"Honestly….yes."

That was certainly an answer Kakashi didn't expect to hear.

"Remember Sasuke, teamwork is an essential use for all things…including dealing with your brother".

Kakashi decided that this early reunion turned slightly awkward and decided to take his leave for the next half hour. In a puff of smoke, he vanished, leaving Sasuke to his thoughts.

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It certainly seemed like a long 30 minutes for Sasuke. Kakashi's little trick had left Sasuke wondering about the past. Although Sasuke was never the only one on earth, as Hinata and Naruto also had troubles to deal with. Hinata arrived at the scene to see Sasuke with his back to a post leaning on it.

"Sasuke-kun, how are you today?" She asked slowly, but loudly enough, and a way that she wouldn't stutter.

"I've been better, getting ready for whatever it is Kakashi planned for us by having a simple rest". Sasuke's breath hitched slightly in his throat and how friendly he was being. Wishing to make himself forget about that, he almost desperately changed the subject.

"So where's Naruto?"

Hinata looked at the ground sadly at the reminder of the previous day. "I don't know…I think I hurt his feelings when I called him fat yesterday…I hurt him a lot I think."

"Oh, so is that way he has no ramen in his lunch eh?" He scoffed slightly. Somewhat amused by the situation.

"Yes…I don't know for sure but it could be".

Sasuke smirked as another realization came into mind, just not one about himself.

"Heh…whether he knows it or not", Stopping his sentence slightly as he propped himself off the pole. "He's whipped".

Hinata blushed and smiled slightly, as she only heard that statement when people refered to couples.

_A couple…I don't think Naruto would like me as a girlfrie-_

"Hello troopers!" Kakashi yelled out rather cheerfully while entering the fray. "Now, who is ready to begin"? He asked seriously.

At this time Naruto arrived at the posts. "Urgg….sure." He mumbled sleepily.

"Oh! Well hello Naruto, you are a few seconds late. Do you know what that means?"

Naruto barely shook his head, more tired then he was uncaring about what Kakashi meant. He didn't get much sleep.

"It means I'm going to deprive you of your weapons for this exercise. If this had been a mission, a few seconds is all it would take to lose everything, your lucky I'm only taking your weapons."

Naruto's eyes suddenly widened furiously, the only reason he didn't get sleep was because he was up all night assorting his planning and weapons, mainly searching for the giant shuriken he had impaled Mizuki with.

"Damn you." Was all he muttered as he dumped on the floor his large selection on kunai's, shuriken, ninja wire and the giant shuriken, all recently polished and sharpened.

"Alright children, time for the games is over. Your not going on a mission, nor are we training at all. I'm here to test your skills, and if you can learn how to pass this test, then we will truly be team 7. I have here 2 bells. What you little ones are to do, is to take a bell from me and the two that succeed will be my team. And the last…gets to watch the rest of us eat our lunch while they stay tied to that post there."

If Naruto could control when his stomach growls, now might have been a good time. As he didn't have a nice lunch to look forward too. He wasn't to sure why he had forgotten to pack ramen, but now he wished he wasn't so tardy.

"By the by, this exercise starts now."

Both Sasuke and Hinata fled the scene and Naruto remained isolated still in front of Kakashi, who raised an eyebrow at Naruto's inability to make a move.

"Don't tell me your planning to recklessly charge at me?" He asked with amusment in his voice.

"What makes you think I'm that dumb?"

"Well maybe in that specific way no, but generally, your grades state that you are dumb."

"Could a dumb person kill a chuunin?"

"If the chuunin is also stupid, sure."

"Actually I thought that was quite an accomplishment". Naruto furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he said this.

Kakashi's eye crinkled as he stated harshly. "For someone who's going to be the Hokage, defeating a chuunin is an easy task."

Naruto took a battle stance calmly. "Then maybe I should upgrade it to defeating a jonin, right here and now!"

Kakashi was amused at this. But not as amusing as his book. Ah! The book, that outa get on his nerves. Pulling out his favorite book, he referred back to one of his favorite scenes.

Naruto didn't like to be blown off like that. With no weapons, he created shadow clones and circled around Kakashi, making it harder from him to keep track of the moving clones.

At least that's what he hoped.

The instant they switched their target and ran for Kakashi, the jonin vanished suddenly. The real Naruto panicked for half a second until he realized his clones were dispatched by thrown kunai knifes, as Kakashi rested on a nearby tree.

"Hm…your display so far I'd say is pathetic. Kudos on learning that fancy jutsu though". He commented pitifully.

Kakashi jumped off the branch straight for Naruto readying hand signs for a genjutsu that he was sure would leave Naruto shaking in his boots.

Kakashi heard the faintest rustling in the bushes as a kunai shot right out of it. Kakashi was forced to turn his attention to the thrown weapon as he caught it out of the air. But as he turned his head back to Naruto, he was gone.

'_Hmm…she's fast"._

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Naruto found himself in a small clearing quite far away from Kakashi. He turned to see who had whisked him away to safety as he saw Hinata's concerned face.

"Why did you save me instead of taking the bell from sensei? That was-"

"N-no…what good is the reward of any mission, even in this case, worth if you're not prosperous…as a team?" She stated softly as she handed him a steaming bowl of ramen.

"I…I'm sorry about what I said. It was harsh and I lost my temper…your love of ramen is what made you the person you are…in a way…I guess." She poked her fingers together timidly.

"I know that you truly can't be heartless…but I also know that a team without Naruto…isn't a team that I'll be part of. Would…w-would you like to pair up? The two of us could get the bells….a-and become team 7." She separated her blasted fingers as to not appear weak.

The boy was agape truly. Even if he was the way he had been before, he wouldn't be able to know how to react to such a thing like this. All sorts of responses crossed his mind until….

"Thanks…" He finally replied. Perhaps life didn't need to be as complicated as Naruto made it out to be.

"For what"? She questioned softly.

"Saving me…I'd have been down and out if you hadn't". He replied, sounding more grateful then usual. Hinata smiled at this promptly and ushered him again to eat his ramen, before it got cold.

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Kakashi sat mildly in the middle of the large clearing, sensing the impatient presence of Sasuke very close by.

As if on cue with his thoughts, 6 shuriken dashed out of 6 different bushes around Kakashi. On alert, Kakashi jumped upward swiftly and onto a tree branch.

'_He used ninja wire to set off the traps to send a multitude of weapons at me from all directions.'_ He stole a glance at the weapons he had made Naruto discard at the beginning of the exercise. And surely, the ninja wire and kunai were no longer on the pile.

He was put on the defensive as he was suddenly bombarded by 10 Sasuke clones.

'_Well they aren't shadow clones, but I'm impressed that he remembered the basics'_

Kakashi jumped off the branch and onto the ground where the discarded Kunai still lay. The Sasuke clones still chasing behind. Kakashi swiftly grabbed one of the Kunai that was still attached to the wire, cutting the wire with his own kunai, he grasped the end of the wire and spun around so that the Kunai on the other end swung around him in a circle, quickly dispersing of the clones, although he was also careful not to take out the real Sasuke.

"Your not the only one who can take use of your opponents weapons Sasuke." He replied seriously before you could see him smile under his mask. "You should have remembered to clean up the mess first though."

"Tsk". Came a simple reply as Sasuke stood alone now. Sasuke quickly readied hand signs rapidly. Rapidly for a genin anyway.

As Sasuke took a deep breath, Kakashi recalled the technique. He was impressed by the boys agility and strategic elements. If only he put them to better use.

"You won't be able to hit me from that far away Sasuke."

Still holding on to his breath, he replied back. "That's what you think"! A little smoke coming off his mouth as he said this. He prepared more hand signs and suddenly the wire around Kakashi came alive and wrapped around Kakashi like snakes. Still with his breath hitched he prepared more hand signs.

'_Ahh so this was chakra controlled wire, I can see why Naruto brought it along. Seems like it came in handy. I COULD escape…but I'd like to see what fancy jutsu this boy might try next. If these 3 don't shape it up quickly, they are all going to fail. The only one who hasn't tried to apprehend me is Hinata. All she's done to effect the battle is grasp my attention long enough to snag Naruto off. But is this out of her care for him, or are they truly working together?'_

As he finished his thoughts Sasuke finished his extra hand signs. Arching his head back, he called out his technique.

"Rapid Flame storm"!

A warning bell went off in Kakashi's head. That was a ranked B jutsu. Although it required extra time to channel, it was a strong fire move and approached the target quicker then most fire attacks.

"Now when did he have the time to learn that?" He mumbled softly. Sasuke truly wanted to end it right here.

Sasuke blew out his massive assault toward Kakashi, working more like a flamethrower then a fire ball. Kakashi easily cut through the chakra rope with sheer force. If Sasuke hadn't forgotten to keep his chakra in the rope, it would have been too strong to break, and Kakashi might have escaped from the rope a different way.

'_Sasuke had the setup to actually hit me, but I don't think his low chakra reserves could have handled so much stress on chakra. He had to hold his breath while talking and create more hand signs. Even for Sasuke it's difficult. What a shame, they might have made a great team.'_

As he completed his thoughts, he jumped out of the way of the rapidly approaching fire storm.

At that moment, Naruto and Hinata shot out of two bushes, completely on opposite ends of Kakashi.

'_Hmm, the timing and coordination is perfect. Witch means they are working together. Although I doubt they have the skills to successfully apprehend me with an assault like this one._

Kakashi instantly rushed for Hinata, knowing that she was more skilled in hand to hand combat. He surprised Hinata with his speed as he threw her over his shoulder with little effort right into Naruto's rather blindly shot path. However as they made contact, both disappeared in a puff of smoke.

'_Shadow clones I see. There actually making this interesting.'_

He looked at Sasuke who was on his hands and knees taking large breaths. He was too tired to continue his assault for a bit, but he'd need to keep an eye on him.

Then, 2 Naruto's and Hinata's rushed out of 4 separate bushes. Kakashi dispersed of them rather quickly, and returned to reading his book.

"Trying to defeat me with quantity over quality won't work Naruto."

"We'll see about that". He heard a call from all directions. Kakashi had a feeling the next wave was going to be much more then double.

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"Remember Naruto-kun, your clones are only one tenth of your true strength. So don't worry if this doesn't work. You remember what needs to be done?" Hinata asked, more serious then shy now.

He nodded. "Right. Make him used to the skill level of clones and overwhelm him when the real thing goes above the standards, right?"

Hinata smiled as she nodded.

"One more thing Hinata…" Naruto asked as he frowned a bit and looked down.

"What is it Naruto-kun?"

Naruto seemed very worried about this question. "Do you like me more the way I was before?"

Hinata gasped slightly at his question, after giving a mere second of thought she smiled sadly. "Do you want my honest opinion?" Naruto hesitated at what that could mean, but he nodded. He thought slowly,'_Here it comes…'_

"I like you more the way you are now". And she hugged him. "The way you are now….your smarter, sharper, you care more about the world around you because you aren't so oblivious. You've never been so…aware of me. Ever since you've been this way, you noticed me more…and that makes me happy."

Naruto had been wide eyed at his importance to her, and he smiled. But his smile dropped as he remembered what they were supposed to do.

"Come on Hinata-chan, we have to get those bells."

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This time 30 clones of both Naruto and Hinata rushed Kakashi, as Kakashi was dispatching them, Sasuke steadily caught his energy again.

'_Urrg, ok I can't do that again…I need more practice with that jutsu. If I wasn't doing that in combo with the ninja wire, I might have recovered quicker though.'_ He finished his thoughts to the multitude of clones rushing Kakashi. Sasuke was on alert immediately.

'_No! Naruto and Hinata are working together to get the 2 bells! I can't let them take this away from me. Not now or ever!'_

Sasuke knew he couldn't make shadow clones like Naruto could, but he could create more regular clones to cause more confusion to sneak in and take a bell. Making the required hand sings for 20 clones, they charged into the mass.

Kakashi saw this as he dispatched 5 Hinata clones in one sweep kick. He made a mental note to make sure no Sasuke clones came too close.

When the shadow clone count of both the Naruto and Hinata clones went down to 10 each, 50 of each clone again rushed at Kakashi. This time the real Naruto and Hinata were among them.

"Enough playing around". Kakashi said calmly and softly, but the intensity was heard through all three genin in the fray. Kakashi readied a few hand signs and called out his jutsu.

"Crater pit jutsu!" A large bowl, 20 meters in diameter erupted in the ground around Kakashi, a lone pillar stood in the middle of the crater with Kakashi standing. The plummet to the 10 meter deep pit had disrupted all the clones leaving the 3 collapsed at the bottom.

"You 3! That was a pathetic display not of power, but of teamwork! Naruto! Hinata!" He turned his attention to them. "Your efforts to work as a team failed!"

Naruto and Hinata were questionable about this. They worked as a team and formulated a plan, how was that wrong? In fact, Naruto made a point to ask.

"What did we do wrong? We worked together and even had a plan to-"

"You did everything wrong Naruto, in the fact that you are wiling to help Hinata and not Sasuke, even though he was there when you made your second assault. Sasuke, even though you witnessed them using teamwork together, you were selfish and still tried to take the bell from me by using the most advanced tactics you could come up with."

The group remained silent until Naruto decided to make a point.

"But me and Hinata couldn't have teamed up with Sasuke! There was only two bells."

Kakashi's eye furrowed slightly, he was used to this routine of failing the teams he was assigned. Still, he wanted to make sure the team he got could work as a team.

"You say you and Hinata made a team, but if you were unwilling to put your teammates before yourselves, you were never a team at all. You ignored Sasuke."

Naruto looked toward Sasuke, who looked toward Hinata. As all their gazes met, they all nodded. Sasuke took out the giant shuriken from Naruto's Pile of weapons. Passing it to its owner Naruto, Naruto laced the massive weapon with chakra and sliced at the pillar Kakashi stood on. As expected, it sliced through like wet paper. This gesture actually caught Kakashi off guard.

Hinata and Sasuke jumped off the wall at a rapid pace. Kakashi knew he couldn't evade as he was still suspended in the air, only going one direction; down.

As Hinata and Sasuke charged Kakashi's from the side, Naruto jumped straight upward with a Kunai Hinata had lent him meant for the assault on Kakashi with the shadow clones. They were all equal distance from Kakashi.

If Kakashi deflected Hinata's and Sasuke's attacks with his arms, all he had was his feet. Normally he could repel an attack with them still, but as Naruto was charging with bladed weapons, he couldn't block them with his feet. He also couldn't parry the attack with another weapon, he couldn't hold a weapon with his foot.

Kakashi didn't usually get caught off guard. '_The fact that these children caught me off guard might blow my reputation a little, although even if they hit me, this assault is a bit weak.'_

Kakashi knew it was a bit too late to tell them to stop in midair. They seemed to be in the zone either way, they wouldn't hear him he supposed. Kakashi had to remember that he couldn't harm these genin too much during the exercise so he couldn't throw weapons to throw them off. He had only one option to follow the rules and stay safe.

He swiftly lifted his head band off his eye, activating the Sharingan. Instantly, the movemets of his opponents slowed down considerably in his minds eye. He waited until the group was a bit closer and then, he clashed out. He kicked the giant weapon safely out of Naruto's hand and grabbed Sasuke's leg that was aiming for his head, and threw him toward Hinata.

They both in turn, vanished in a puff of smoke. Kakashi gasped as he felt a kunai just miss his arm from below. But he could hear that the kunai had hit something.

The Bells!

Surely enough, the bells had been cut off his belt and were now falling to the ground due to the well aimed kunai Naruto had thrown. Luckily for Kakashi, the bells were still in arms reach. He quickly reached over to grab it, but was assaulted by Hinata who attacked the joints in his arms, numbing them effectively for the next few minutes.

Kakashi wasn't out of the fray yet. He flipped himself over in midair and kicked Hinata in the stomach to keep her out of reach from the bell. Kakashi remembered that a strong pulse of chakra through your arm could take away the arm numbing effect of a hyuuga strike. After he did so he turned back to the bells, but the bells weren't there in the air.

There in the air? When Kakashi thought about it that sounded silly, but that last moment was so swift he was sure the bells would still be there. If they had fallen to the ground, Naruto would have snatched them immediately. He looked down to see Naruto's determined and focused gaze, but he didn't have the bells.

Finally Kakashi hit the ground inside the pit Naruto who was in the bottom of the ridge vanished in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi looked up out of the pit to see the 3 genin standing near the edge.

"We outa thank you sensei, your pit really gave us the win on this one." Sasuke commended both bells in hand.

Kakashi retraced the steps in his mind. He now knew when Naruto had created shadow clones behind his back. When he checked Hinata and Sasuke's assault from the side, Naruto replaced himself with a clone, and vise versa when he checked Naruto's position. And then the real Hinata and Sasuke hid nearby, in the bushes or maybe under the ruble that the pillar created.

"You all did fantastic, you all kept me on my toes. I honestly didn't expect you to be able to take the bells. But you 3 are an extremely talented trinity."

All 3 smiled at the compliment, doing all that had not been easy. Kakashi landed beside them and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Naruto, originally I thought your use of the shadow clone was horrible. But you proved that you could take use of every tactic and advantage you had and time it with incredible precision. Without your sharp mind and instincts the squad would have failed."

He then put a hand on Sasuke's shouler as well.

"Sasuke, you had the best agility and strength of this team and yet you still were confident in your comrade's ability to see through. You served as the main assister and you exercised your patience to wait for the right moment. Without your quick mind to go and take the bells at the right time this team would have failed also."

"Hinata, you are a very talented young lady who will grow into a beautiful woman. But you showed you could put your shyness aside and get to work when the time was needed. Your quick thinking to immobilize my arm and give yourself as a human target effectively gave your team the time to take the bells. Without either of you, your tactics would have failed."

Hinata blushed at the compliments. Her stomach was a small price to pay for the team success; she would feel better in the morning.

It was now evident to all three now that not only was this exercise supposed to make them see the importance of teamwork, but to bring them closer as a team.

"My students…you all pass. Team seven's first mission starts tomorrow!" He exclaimed.

"YEAAAAH! WHOOOO!" Sasuke shouted and held his hand up for a high five to Naruto and Hinata. Who stared at him dumbfounded at his outburst. Even Sasuke couldn't help but be embarrassed at his antics.

Was the loneliness in Naruto's life truly over? He looked over at his first friends, and at the first person to except him; Hinata. He smiled to himself.

His loneliness…just might disappear forever.

Then together, as a team, students and sensei laughed together and walked home together.

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**Ahhhhh that was a nice chapter I think. Sorry for the late update, I moved houses and shortly after that my comp broke down. Be prepared for the next episode of Inviting the Dark!**

**Next time! Wake up call: The chuunin exams arrive!**

**R&R plz :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**WHOOOOO Another chappie all for youz! Before I begin, special thanks to all y wondrous reviewers and readers! **

**Also, Haku and Zabuza will not be making an appearance before the chuunin exams, sometime later they will, it makes the story more intereting! Lets begin shall we?**

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1-2 months after bell test

"Mission complete Hokage-sama. Our team apprehended the tiger terrorizing the the small village nearby." Kakashi stated as he handed the report to the Hokage.

The Hokage smiled and nodded respectfully at the successful mission. It was nice to see a rookie team that completed all their missions with flying colors and never one failure. He was also surprised as this was the first team Kakashi has ever passed. Not only that, but when Kakashi was to pass teams during his exercise, the students weren't actually supposed to be able to take the bells. But this team managed to do so anyway. This team was quite impressive.

" Congratulations, that is your 20th successful D rank, your team shall be given another 30% in the cash reward from the village."

Naruto leaned into Hinata's ear ad whispered " Pff yeah, 10% cash for each genin, horay." He whispered sarcastically. Hinata giggled at his comment. But Kakashi has sharp ears. "Hey what about me?" He feigned hurt.

"Your a Jonin, why would you need the extra cash"? Naruto asked with an eyebrow raised as he crossed his arms. His sensei's antics sure were intriguing.

"I'm still the boss Naruto." He smiled with triumph until he noticed the look on Naruto's face and shuttered. The last time he made that face Naruto tried to burn his book and came very close to doing so. Kakashi smiled again.

"Don't worry Naruto, I won't really take the money, you three can enjoy you extra cash." He finished rustling Naruto's hair.

The Hokage suddenly remembered he had news for the team. Reaching under his desk he pulled out a yellow file. "Ahh yes, the chuunin exams are around the corner. Kakashi, it would be in your best interest to prepare your team for the exams."

Kakashi answered with a silent nod. Hinata was a little questioned. She didn't recall anything called the chuunin exams, embarrassingly enough.

"The chuunin exams? What that's Hokage-sama?" Hinata asked a little embarrassed, Sasuke crossed his arms slightly as he answered her. "It's an exam where if genin show they have the correct quality, they may be promoted to chuunin rank. This will be one of the first to be held in the leaf village too."

Sarutobi nodded. "Yes Sasuke is correct, but it is not only for the promotion of genin, it is also to maintain the balance of power and the relationship between villages. For genin to show off their skills so they, and their village, may obtain more clients. The chuunin exams always has strong runner ups, and as such will be the toughest challenge you will have to go through thus far. However I predict your team in particular might do very well for a rookie team." He finished.

"If that is all, team 7 is dismissed until your next mission."

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The group walked to their usual meeting spot as Kakashi turned to them. "Alright team, you are all dismissed, get some rest as tomorrow we won't be going on missions."

The three genin sighed contentedly, they did 4 missions today, and although 1 C rank and 3 D ranks, witch was considered easy, they had been working all day. A rest seemed nice.

"Because tomorrow I'm going to push you ever so harder then a simple mission! Hehehe". He made a low chuckle, not unlike the ones he made when reading his book.

Naruto showed his disappointment in his face. Hinata only frowned slightly but asked. "Why? What are we going to do tomorrow?"

Kakashi took another step off the bridge, showing the students that whatever he was going to say would be his last comment. "Why, a simple survival initiation." Leaving the genin to their thoughts.

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"Ahh good, all here and accounted for." Kakashi exclaimed and returned his book to his back pocket. The three genin promptly stood in a straight line. Hinata arm occasionally brushed against Naruto's, making her shiver slightly, but it was un-noticed.

"This is how this exercise is going to work. Each of you is going to have a turn escaping from your 2 comrades. This is meant to teach all of you about stealth during the chuunin exams, but there is a reward also. Whoever can last the longest will get solo training with me until the chuunin exams in addition to our regular squad training."

This interested the 3 ninja.

"The first candidate to be running will be Naruto. You have a 5 minute head start to run to the forest in training area 7. Your time starts now."

Immediately Naruto rushed off, determined to win, creating many dozen shadow clones to throw off his pursuers.

Hinata activated her Byakugan as Sasuke prepared himself to charge. Kakashi finished timing and initiated the challenge with a yell of "Charge"! As the 2 genin charged into the direction of training ground seven.

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Naruto awaited in the thick bush of a tree. Over a hundred shadow clones were scattered across the place. A larger multitude of clones were at the back of the forest. He hopped that Hinata and Sasuke would suspect that he would try a simple strategy of flooding himself with clones, and would go straight to the back of the forest and waste their time dispelling clones. The bad part of this strategy was Naruto was left with thin cover and little clones surrounded him. All or nothing he supposed.

Hinata and Sasuke entered the opening of the forest. Hinata scouted the area, seeing about 30 Naruto's within her range. "We should probably go into the area that has more Naruto's huddled up together, to take out more at once."

Sasuke nodded. Hinata was truly a talented tactician. "Agreed, lead the way Hinata". Sasuke wasn't one to really like following teammates, but with Hinata's Byakugan she was a natural tracker, so he knew when to give her the spotlight.

Even the clones were on alert, but Sasuke was stealthy. Hinata pointed out the areas of the clones, and Sasuke would take them out. Hinata held her hand out to Sasuke to keep him from advancing.

"Hang on Sasuke; there are more clones on the field of my vision. There are more of them there then there are here. We can cut time if we skip the clones in the middle of the forest and go around. But that also means that we could miss the real Naruto if he is among the heart of the forest."

Sasuke lowered his head in thought. "I say we just charge through the middle, take out clones as we go, don't leave any behind." The 2 clan prodigies lashed through the fields, this time, the Naruto's would run back if they saw them approach. The real Naruto was among them.

'_Crap! They didn't fall for my anti-Byakugan trick! Aw well, ill have to switch the positions of the clones at the back of the forest with the ones here and fall back.' _Naruto ran back, forcing the remaining clones forward to stall. Naruto ran back at very fast speeds, but Hinata caught this on the edge of her Byakugan before he escaped her range.

Hinata liked Naruto very much. In fact she would be inclined to say love if it didn't make her embarrassed. But Hinata saw this as an opportunity to impress Naruto with her skills. "A single Naruto ran off. Almost no doubt he is the real one. I'll follow him so I don't lose the trail, cover me Sasuke."

Hinata rushed through the trees with Sasuke following close behind. As Naruto clones charged her, Sasuke would throw a shuriken, hit them, or use fire ninjutsu. He wasn't worried about hitting the real Naruto, as Hinata was sure she was on his trail.

A few kilometers forward, Naruto was sure that his cover was blown. He couldn't run forever, and if he continued to use hit and run it would be a waste of chakra. Hinata could see him from miles off, and Sasuke could attacks groups of enemies with considerable precision. Making 30 clones, Naruto charged with the mass, and created a clone that continued to run off in his place, trying to trick Hinata's sight.

Hinata and Sasuke were bombarded by a large mass of clones. Hinata saw a Naruto on the end of her vision alone getting away. She could get the real one later; she would need to take out the clones in her way.

"Fire style: Fire Ball jutsu!" Sasuke screamed suddenly, as a large…well… fire ball, cascaded out of his mouth, obliterating over half the Naruto forces. However, luck was on their side, as Naruto's second tactic to make Hinata continue on to the other clone failed, as Naruto was hit by the fire and the other half of the mass was taken out of existence. Naruto was burned slightly around his arm and it hurt to move it as it stretched the burnt skin. But he was still running. Hinata and Sasuke close behind.

Naruto took out a rope and threw it on a branch above him as he fled. He swung himself upward, aiming to land on the branch the rope attached to. Sasuke saw this and his instincts kicked in. He lashed out a kunai toward the rope midway through Naruto ascent up, cutting the rope, Naruto was flung forward unexpectedly. Sasuke rushed under and Hinata followed suit.

"Crap.." Naruto muttered, he knew he lost but he smiled, he had fun. As he hit the ground Hinata grasped Naruto's arm with a smile.

"Gotcha."

28 Minutes and 32 seconds.

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"Next is Hinata". Kakashi announced after a little rest. "Begin!"

Hinata rushed off, Byakugan blazing. Naruto thought she had a better chance of winning. She could see her enemies coming even before they did. But it would be hard to avoid a mass of clones if they happened upon her direction. Besides, constant use of the Byakugan would mean constant chakra drainage.

After the 5 minutes were up, Naruto created 50 clones, and he and Sasuke rushed toward the forests, where Hinata waited.

Hinata decided that Naruto's strategy was smart, using shadow clones as distractions. She created 30 clones, they didn't need to be shadow clones, and they served their purpose. The clones scattered as Hinata remained in the heart of the forest for the best vision range all around.

"Do you think Hinata is scouting the area or staying still?" Naruto asked. Sasuke shook his head, unsure. "Can't say for sure, with the Byakugan she could pick whichever tactic, although she might pick the one that conserves most energy".

Hinata remembered how toward the end of chasing Naruto he tried one more tactic to throw them off; blend in with the crowd and change their attention to a clone. She stayed still and in the open, while one of her clones scouted the area.

Back with Naruto and Sasuke, the shadow clones picked up on Hinata. And alerted the real copies. "Hey, that's her right there." Naruto whispered. He narrowed his brows. "But that was way too easy."

"Yeah…might be a clone, she doesn't even have her Byakugan activated." Sasuke confirmed. However, they didn't leave the clone behind, and dispersed it.

"Hey Hinata's takin' my moves! Heehee". Naruto laughed slightly, actually flattered. Sasuke didn't comment but was still focused. He really wanted that solo training. "This might be more trouble then we thought. Can u make a bit more clones to save time?" He asked genuinely.

Naruto nodded silently and created 50 more clones. They all split up and tackled through the bushes. Taking out Hinata clones as they go. It seemed like a sort of repeat of Naruto. But they had no idea where Hinata was, and she knew where they were.

A few of Naruto's shadow clones were dispelled and Naruto got the memory of the clones. Knowing that only the real Hinata could damage them, Naruto alerted Sasuke to the direction. But Hinata was fast and she had the distance. Naruto created more shadow clones to flood out Hinata. She was forced to take out the clones that were able to approach her, sending more accurate information to Naruto, instead of small bits. Now Naruto and Sasuke could follow Hinata by the 'memory trails' they found. They caught the real Hinata in view. Hinata knew the main reason for their supreme tracking was Naruto's clones. She tried to attack with a swift hyuuga palm to his elbow, but Naruto bent forward and blocked with his headband to avoid sacrificing any other body part while blocking. He lashed out with his own left hook to her stomach witch she blocked easily with her knee. Sasuke charged behind her as Naruto was about to aim a kick for her side. Hinata charged chakra through her whole body and spun on her heel, repelling Naruto's kick and Sasuke's and they both skidded away.

Hinata's eyes widened at what she nearly did purely by accident. She narrowed her eyes in focus and determination as she decided to charge for Sasuke, aiming a kick to his leg. Sasuke dodged by flipping forward and brought his heel down aiming for Hinata's head. Hinata, instead of blocking, aimed a palm to his leg, the chakra in her hand absorbing the pain of the impact as well as damaging his chakra coils. Then aimed a palm at his stomach, he blocked with his arms still in midair, but was knocked back. Naruto was upon her again with 3 shadow clones. Hinata dispersed one with a sweep kick and ended up hitting the real Naruto in the chin with a palm as she stood back up, he reeled from the blow witch gave Hinata time to create 4 clones just as Sasuke and Naruto recovered. All 5 Hinata's jumped up onto a tree branch and immediately descended down, 2 Hinata's on Naruto, 2 on Sasuke, and 1 Hinata stood in the middle of both.

The clones couldn't attack but she knew they didn't want to leave clones behind that could be the real one. Witch gave Hinata time to test her theory.

'_Lets see if I could try that again..'_

Gathering chakra into her entire system and around her body, she rapidly spun in place. To a hyuuga, the beginning of the spin would seem a little clumsy but she maintained her balance and increased the speed of her spin just as Naruto and Sasuke charged with the assistance of 5 shadow clones. Hinata then released her chakra in all directions, not all at once, she was sure to not make that mistake. _'Like running water, smooth release of chakra' _The release of chakra took a bit longer then normal, but was good for her first time.

A dome of visible chakra erupted around Hinata and grew gradually as she poured more chakra to keep it running and make it larger. Hinata knew that she had done it, and called out her technique as the boy's made contact.

"8 trigrams palm rotation!" She increased the velocity of her spin, kicking up dirt and wind picking up around her. Naruto and Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise but it was too late to stop as they leaned into the deadly sphere and were immediately sent cruising back as they hit the trees behind them. However the Rotation was very draining and she had to stop

As Hinata stopped spinning she felt nauseous and very chakra drained, she nearly fell to her knees from exhaustion but was suddenly tackled by Naruto, the two tucked a rolled painfully until Naruto had hold of both her arms and was hovering above her, his legs on either sides of her. Both were breathing hard but smiled into their breathing slightly, smirking more then smiling. Naruto's vision began to slightly haze and his breathing became more labored and husky, unknowingly relishing in the feel of Hinata's skin against his own. Hinata noticed the look in Naruto's eyes. Like a tiger that just caught its prey, and was eyeing it down hungrily. The look made her nervous but at the same time she was drawn to it. And although it made her feel slightly embarrassed as she made this realization, But Hinata couldn't help but be turned on, as she started to breathe harder as well, her chest heaving higher then necessary.

The 2 were broken out of their heated trance when they heard Sasuke confirm the exercise with a call of,

"You've just been captured". It was obvious he didn't see the sparks between Naruto and Hinata, and it embarrassed them both dearly, but un-noticed by the other, they both licked their lips involuntarily before Naruto hefted himself off of her and apologized. He was actually glad Sasuke had snapped them out of it before Hinata REALLY noticed his excitement…

He blushed inwardly at what almost happened, slightly unnerved.

But he couldn't say that he didn't like what just happened. He shook his head to get rid of his thoughts and looked toward Hinata and tried to speak as normally as he could.

"So how long did she last?"

"44 minutes and 3 seconds".

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After the group rested for about an hour, Naruto and Hinata hadn't spoken during their hormone induced run in. Naruto told himself that he'd not trust people so much anymore. He was sure he could trust his teammates and especially Hinata since she saved him from rotting away in the training field after he killed Mizuki. Still, it didn't make the reunion with her any less awkward.

Hinata was always taught to be the respectful princess of her house hold. To be involved psychically that way with Naruto that way made her feel slightly uncomfortable since it went against everything she was taught. But…the heat. The touch. It was new and fresh and attracted Hinata's attention as she enjoyed that touch immensely.

But now was Sasuke's turn. He would have to exploit all of his advantages if he wanted to win the extra training.

'_Naruto uses his clones to explore the area and even if they are destroyed he gains the memories of how I destroyed them, witch means he'll know my tactics, and he'll know my location. Hinata can see me from far away even without shadow clones, witch means her and Naruto can create a plan to make better use of his shadow clones. This is going to be difficult'_

"Alright, Sasuke's exercise begins now!"

Sasuke dashed right into the forests. He was going faster then normal. Thinking up a storm.

'_How did Naruto make it so that Hinata couldn't tell the difference between clones? Hmm…Hinata's Byakugan spots people from far away by seeing their chakra. Did Naruto give a equal amount of chakra between himself and his clones? That's the only explanation I can think of. Damn...Naruto would need a lot of stamina and chakra for that. I don't think I could create hundreds of clones…maybe 40 and still have enough chakra left over for other uses.'_

Creating 40 clones and distributing the chakra evenly, Sasuke headed off into the forest when suddenly he was tackled from the side.

"What! It hasn't even been 5 minutes!" He yelled. But the thing that tackled him was upon him and lashed a claw to his side, causing very deep wounds. Sasuke saw it was a tiger with red deep skin.

"Crap! Chakra tiger!" He exclaimed. These animals usually weren't one to attack humans unless they crossed their territory. Actually, their attacks were weak and mere academy students could kill them. Unluckily for Sasuke, he was running straight for the tiger's swipe and it caused a deep gash. The tiger chased him and took a bite for his arm as Sasuke was busy reeling from the previous blow. The bite was enforced with chakra but the added pain snapped Sasuke out of it. Charging his leg with chakra he kicked the mighty beast away. But cats always land on their feet, and soon it was charging Sasuke again.

'_Its strong for a chakra tiger'. _He thought to himself. Then again, he had no experience fighting one, as most people didn't. Witch is why some people were still killed by the even though they were supposedly easy beasts to beet.

'_My ass.' _He completed his thoughts with a few hand signs.

"Fire ball jutsu!" The large fire ball raced for the beast, but its senses were too much and jumped over the ball and right onto Sasuke. Sasuke was now below the mighty beast. Just as it was about to swipe at Sasuke's face, its movements slowed and Sasuke could see himself reflected in the tiger's eyes. Sasuke Uchiha, the prey. But Sasuke could see that his sharingan was activated. He gasped at this but was on alert. With the new senses and reflexes the dojutsu gave him, he bent his leg and kicked the tiger off of him. He created hand signs at a quicker pace.

"Rapid flame storm!" He called. As the name suggested, it approached the tiger at a rapid pace incinerating it.

Sasuke was on alert again, he was sure that was about 5 minutes and Hinata could find him by now. Hinata and Naruto had impeccable teamwork. Activating his sharingan again, he picked a few flowers nearby and placed it near the tiger. He said nothing, but he was grateful to the tiger that helped him activate his sharingan, even if he didn't know how it happened really.

He quickly rushed off certain that Hinata and Naruto might be drawn to the sight. He was sure that his own clones were scattered across the forest and headed to the very back of the area, certain to cover ground.

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"So uhh, where is he?" Naruto asked politely. Still worried if Hinata might be upset over the previous encounter. But then he snapped out of it. He had an exercise to get to.

"I see a few Sasuke clones, he seems to know how to trick the Byakugan".

Naruto put a hand on his chin as he examined the battle sight before him. It was obvious Sasuke got into a scuffle with a wild animal of sorts and took no mercy on it. The site looked about 10 minutes old. Some blood was scattered on the floor.

"Isn't there a way to be able to actually tell a clone from the real copy?"

She nodded. "Well…yes but I don't have enough experience with the Byakugan. I can only see the person, their clothing, skin, and chakra network. But I can't see the organs inside of a person's body yet…I don't have that experience, I need more training." She finished softly.

"I'm sorry if I'm a burden…"

"No way"! Naruto interjected. "Your doing more then enough, I'm happy that you can do even this." He reassured.

"Wait a moment…" Hinata's voice trailed and Naruto raised an eyebrow in question.

"There is only one Sasuke that seem to have wound gashes on his skin. Send your clones for him. Only the real Sasuke can dispel the clones so if he does that means we have the real Sasuke. Me and you should continue taking out clones just in case that one is a decoy."

"Good plan". He replied and smiled. He created 20 clones tot the direction of Sasuke as the real copies searched for different clones as a precaution.

The Sasuke clones were stealthy and were smart to flee on sight of Naruto and Hinata, they ran away I the opposite direction of the Sasuke with the gash marks. Giving Hinata extra confirmation that the one with gashes was the real one. After a few of his clones were dispelled, Naruto got memories from his dispelled shadow clones.

"I know where Sasuke is."

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Sasuke had taken out all the clones in 1 fire ball by making them huddle together, now he knew he had to flee the area quick before another wave of shadow clones found him. Luckily for Sasuke, the next wave of shadow clones had to pick up where they left off, with was in the northern area of the forest, Sasuke fled east.

He stayed inside an impressively high tree and created 10 clones to travel to the edge of the forest and try and find the real Hinata and Naruto and approach them from another direction, hoping to throw them off. He deactivated his sharingan to conserve his energy.

A few minutes later he was bombarded by shadow clones in 2 separate directions, 10 clones per mass. He aimed for the mass coming at him from the south. He punched a clone in the stomach, and turned and kicked the other in the face and they both dispelled. He was still attacked by the clones that remained. He knew he had to be quick or time would run out and Hinata and Naruto would find him.

He ran to the mob of 8 Naruto clones and jumped up with his leg out stretched, forcing through 3 clones as he ended up behind the 5 clones that remained and the other wave behind the 5 clones, giving Sasuke an opening to escape as he ran off before Naruto and Hinata got to them. Unfortunately Naruto didn't send only 20 clones, as 10 clones rained in from the trees above.

"Fire ball jutsu!" He fire into the air before he realized his mistake. He took out the clones but now he had to deal with the 15 clones that caught up to him from behind, and no matter where Hinata and Naruto were, Byakugan and shadow clones or not, they would have seen the fire ball shoot up. Sasuke aimed a kick to the closest shadow clone and jumped up onto a tree branch. Luck wasn't on his side as the branch was too burnt and it gave way as Sasuke stepped on it. He spotted another branch as he descended toward the ground, the branch was still green and bright brown, his flame didn't pass by that one.

He grabbed onto it with his hands and swung onto it. He turned around and swiftly called out his rank B technique.

"Rapid flame storm!" They deadly flames races to the 15 clones. However 5 clones jumped out of the way and rushed Sasuke, jumped off the different trees to make their ascent toward Sasuke. Sasuke rushed to the closest clone and aimed a punch. What he did not expect was that the clone swiftly dodged him and aimed a hyuuga strike to his arm. Out of instinct he blocked and he could feel the chakra smash into his chakra system, rendering chakra movement in his arm useless. He jumped back but the other clones caught up. The Naruto that had his him with a hyuuga strike smiled and erupted in a cloud of smoke, revealing Hinata. They had been among the shadow clones the whole time, with Hinata transformed.

Sasuke smiled respectfully. "Nice idea, but its not over!" He knew he couldn't do hand to hand combat with Hinata, she proved to have better hand to hand efficiency then both Naruto and Sasuke combined. Not to mention that 8 trigrams Rotation move she had. But without chakra flow through his arm, he couldn't use long ranged fire jutsu. Not to mention the now minor flesh wound the tiger had given him was still burning. The 4 Naruto's were upon him as one aimed a hit to his head. Sasuke blocked with his good hand and backhand him with the same hand. It disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sasuke didn't see the 3 Naruto's behind him using a rather odd formation. One Naruto put one foot on both of the others as they 'sling shot' him to Sasuke at speeds that they were sure he wouldn't be able to react. Earlier, Sasuke deactivated his sharingan when he rested in that high tree to conserve chakra, but now it was time to use it. The word felt strange and new on his tongue as he said it

"Sharingan!" He activated his bloodline, surprising the Naruto that was flying toward him at great speeds. Sasuke dodged the human missile and turned his attention to Hinata who was coming for him with a kunai in hand. He pulled out his own and charged her.

The action confused Hinata as she knew that he was aware that in close combat he couldn't beet her without jutsu or assistance. But with Sasuke's newly acquired sharingan she had to be careful. The Naruto that Sasuke dodged landed on the tree sideways feet-first, and jumped toward Sasuke again, the other 2 Naruto's charging for him behind Hinata.

Sasuke brought his weapon toward Hinata. Just as she brought hers up to blocked, Sasuke jumped up suddenly. Creating hand signs, he called out his favorite jutsu.

"Fire ball jutsu!" He poured a little extra chakra into it to increase the mass and size of the ball. Unfortunately this was a doubled edged sword; As soon as he released the ball, the bright colored ball cut his few of the enemies right away. He put himself and his senses on alert.

Down below, Hinata and Naruto saw their chance. Naruto created more shadow clones witch stood in different directions all around Sasuke. Naruto and Hinata jumped out of the way of the giant flame barely. Naruto took out his kunai and ninja wire and attached the wire to the loop of the kunai quickly and tossed it to a clone right by Sasuke. Sasuke was on alert seeing the kunai fly right by him, and halted the fireball jutsu to see what was going on. He spotted the multitude of clones all around him. He saw the kunai was attached to wire.

Again the kunai zipped by him quick, then again, and again and rapid pace, holding Sasuke up there in place by the wire that was around him, knotting him up like a fly in a spider's web. He knew it was over.

"Alright! We finally got you"! Naruto exclaimed excitedly. Sasuke was a sneaky and smart little bugger.

"Congratulations, you did well Sasuke." Hinata exclaimed and contacted Kakashi by the 2 way radio. "We got him Kakashi sensei."

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After the group gathered Kakashi tallied up the time and scores with all 3 genin exhausted. Kakashi eyed them warily and with a smirk. "Well now, I think you've all learned a thing or two about tracking and escaping enemies in the forest and pretty much anyplace with obstacles, wouldn't you agree?"

All three exhausted from the endless chasing and running, they were battered and bruised, and Sasuke had a strange gash in his stomach witch didn't seem to serious, and a mouth that seemed a bit charred. Kakashi chuckled soundlessly at this; he wasn't surprised Sasuke had busted out all of his fire moves to keep the genin at bay.

It also looked like to Kakashi that they seemed more like adults now. In a way this was more than survival training. The team reported in and Kakashi knew that they learned more about techniques now. Although it had been accidents, Hinata learned the 8 Trigrams Palm Rotation. According to her it started off wobbly but it was a success. Sasuke obtained his sharingan, as Uchiha's gain the sharingan in an encounter where they would die and the sharingan could save them. Sasuke got off lucky on that one, without the sharingan he would have been caught sooner by the team. Naruto didn't learn much about new jutsu. But he learned valuable information about himself. He tested out his coordination with kunai, rope, and wire, and was able to detest that he had rather unusual chakra reserves, as he could make much more then quadruple the clones Hinata and Sasuke did, and they were shadow clones witch demanded much more chakra, not only that but he could do it without an exhaustion at all.

"Naruto, your time was 28 minutes 32 seconds. Not bad for someone with no forest experience. But still the worse time".

Naruto frowned and did the all famous anime sweat drop.

"Hinata, your time and strategies were smart and you avoided them for quite some time by yourself. I'm sure your time would have been much longer if you had more experience with the Byakugan, and a bit more training. Your time was a solid 44 minutes and 3 seconds." She bowed respectfully.

"Sasuke, you look the most battered of the three of you. You pulled out all of your tricks and in the midst of your survival exercise you learned to activate you sharingan and surprise Hinata and Naruto with your new moves and kept them at bay with your own clones and fire jutsu. And it paid off; your time was 49 minutes and 22 seconds."

This time Sasuke didn't let out a giant outburst like he had during the bell test. But the happiness was evident in his face. His teammates congratulated him as Kakashi released the group.

"Oh, one more thing troopers! Tomorrow we will be going through special training after our mission". He stated.

"What kind of training is it sensei?" Hinata asked.

Kakashi pulled out his book but didn't open it. "Well I'm going to teach you how to perfect your chakra control by climbing trees not with your hands, but by using your chakra to climb with just your feet."

Sasuke tilted his head to the side. "Sounds fun". He said sarcastically. Kakashi chuckled. "Oh little Sasuke, I had a feeling you would find it useless, but I can assure you it is quite helpful. Some of the most powerful jutsu has stemmed from these simple tree walking exercises, and he second phase of this exercise-water walking, has also stemmed much jutsu."

"Like what?" Naruto and Sasuke asked simultaneously, earning a chuckle from the hyuuga princess.

"Such as a jutsu my teacher and forth Hokage invented, a powerful sphere known as the Rasengan. When I asked him about the formula, he told me it stemmed from the 2 chakra waking exercises. The first part was rotation, and learning to maintain continuous chakra flow, just like tree walking. The second part of the exercise was the only part that didn't come from the walking exercises witch was how to put power into your spin. Well you get the point, the chakra walking exercises help!" He finished slightly irritated, humorously enough.

Naruto's eyes sparkled. "He was your teacher? Does that mean he taught you the Rasengan?" He asked hopefully.

Kakashi shook his head not to say no to his question, but what Naruto wanted. "Oh no you don't. The Rasengan took the fourth Hokage 3 years to invent and 4 years to learn. Besides there is only a week before the exams, any Rasengan training would leave your arms useless. For now your getting down the basics. Meet here tomorrow after the mission. Squad dismissed."

"Hey Hinata, what time is it?" Sasuke asked. Hinata lifted the sleeve of her baggy jacket to see her watch, witch read,

"6:32pm". She answered softly pushing her sleeve back to its regular spot. Her skin tingled at the slightly chilled air.

"Hey sweet, I can still catch that movie I wanted to see." Naruto commented. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What movie?" Naruto crossed his arms lazily as he answered.

"Blackout, why?"

"Aw darn, I was going to see that movie today, guess I'll have to watch it another time". He stated with a smirk as he walked off with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey! What does THAT mean jerk?" But Sasuke was already leaving with a head held high. Naruto scoffed but laughed. That was a little funny he supposed…

Hinata shyly approached him. "Naruto…I-If you'd like, I could come with you, I don't have very much left to do today." She asked softly.

Naruto raised an eyebrow slightly, but he smiled. "Sure…I'd like that". Naruto was still a little uncomfortable being so friendly. But he found himself making excuses to make Hinata an exception.

They had begun walking to the theatre when Hinata started to shiver slightly even with her jacket on. Naruto had his jacket wrapped around his waist, but he felt fine.

"Naruto…it's a little cold." If one looked closely, you could see Hinata' ears become slightly red. Naruto laughed slightly. "Ah come on, it isn't that cold, you only think its cold because your not used to it, you just gotta let it get to you and you don't notice. Come on, take your jacket off, you won't feel different."

Hinata was reluctant, but proceeded to take her jacket off slowly. She started to shiver slightly, but it wasn't too different she supposed.

"See?" Naruto cooed. Hinata then promptly… sneezed.

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"N-N-N-N-Na...Naruto!" Hinata grasped Naruto's arm as they watched the movie, frightened to death. It was 30 minutes into the movie and Hinata was trying her best to not scream. Naruto chuckled lightly.

"It's n-n-n-not funny Naru-KYAAAA!" She suddenly screamed as the killer in the movie jumped out of his hiding spot and just missed the girl in the movie. As a result she was shushed by many of the other people watching. Hinata was embarrassed as well as scard and hugged herself closer to Naruto.

Naruto didn't mind that she was scared and did these things through her fear. But she was really crushing his arm.

"Urrg Hinata…my arm?" He asked sheepishly. She gasped softly and apologized. He lifted his arm lightly to get the blood flowing. When the killer in the movie ambushed the girl again, Hinata ducked immediately under his arm and hugged Naruto himself. Naruto put his arm down and rested it on Hinata's shouler.

'_Ahh that's better, I can feel my arm'_

"Kyaaa!" Hinata screamed again as the killer got the victim and stabbed mercilessly over and over. Naruto was enjoying himself slightly, he was quite comfortable, the movie was fine, and he swore the top of Hinata's head was a great pillow. He could almost feel himself dozing…

"Excuse me madame, you are causing too much commotion and I've received multiple complaints. I'm going to ask you and your boyfriend to leave." An employee told them.

"Eh wha?" Naruto snapped out of it as he heard the employee. Hinata blushed in embarrassment a being so scared.

"You are going to have to leave the area. You are causing too much noise." He confirmed again.

Naruto yawned. He was comfortable and he wasn't about to leave.

"Ah come on. Her screaming wasn't that bad. If I could sleep while being beside her then its just fine." He argued.

But the employee continued. "Sir I'm-"

"Also! It's a scary movie; it's supposed to make people scream."

The man sighed but nodded. "Alright, one warning but if it happens again I'll have to really ask you to leave." Naruto nodded. "That's fine." He replied as he unconsciously rested his head on Hinata's again and smiled. Hinata also felt herself dozing off as she felt very warm in the embrace she had given him. Her last thought as she dozed off were, '_At least I won't scream anymore.'_ She snuck herself onto his lap and fell asleep.

3 hours later the theatre was completely empty, but if you could look closely you would see 2 people bundled up comfortably in each others arms.

"Excuse me sir." The same employee who spoke to him earlier, woke him up. "The theatre is closing for the night. Please wake up your company and exit the theatre." He told him.

Naruto was still dozy and tired but nodded. Not wishing to disturb Hinata, he picked her up slowly by wrapping his arms around her back and lifting her up slowly. He walked off with her as an adult would to a small child. She unconsciously snuggled closer, but she woke up as he walked down the stairs.

"Rise and shine". Naruto called to her as she blushed and put herself down on the floor.

"I'm sorry; I think I ruined the movie for both of us." She genuinely apologized

Naruto shook his head. "No way, watching you scream was fun enough." He laughed.

"Ooooooh u big meanie." Hinata was still very tired but laughed softly."Naruto, you can go home, I'll go home by myself today."

"Really? I thought that was the plan already." He joked.

Hinata giggled slightly. "I'll see you tomorrow Naruto." Naruto waved and walked his separate ways.

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The next day was slightly un-eventful, at least in comparison to the special tree climbing training the group was awaiting. They were nearly done their mission, and were driven by determination and eagerness to finish quickly. "Target in sight." Hinata called by radio.

"Hey no fair you cheater! You have Byakugan". Sasuke joked.

"Don't be jealous of Hinata Sasuke, at least you have a bloodline, I got nothin" Naruto exclaimed.

Loud static like sounds crashed through all three radios as Kakashi's voice rang out. "Alright kids enough dilly dally. Attack now!"

Sometime later

"Mission accomplished, we caught the all famous damn Tora again." Naruto exclaimed in a bored manner.

"Can you not give us that mission anymore? That's the 7th time we've done that mission and its only Thursday." Sasuke mumbled.

The Hokage chuckled but nodded. "That is fine I suppose. But then who would catch it?"

"I don't care just not me". Sasuke replied as Naruto interjected.

"Or me!"

Naruto and Sasuke looked to Hinata who hesitantly answered.

"Umm…or me I suppose…it's a little troublesome."

"Hahaha, well in any case team 7 is dismissed. Make sure you get your training in for the exams."

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"Alright-"

"Troopers? Why do you always call us that?" Naruto questioned.

"Dumbasses." He finished with a slightly smirk as he knew Naruto would try to interject.

Hinata merely giggled. But she was excited for this training. It was something extremely violent. "So when do we start?"

"Right now". Kakashi answered as he casually walked up the tree and hung upside down on the branch. "You're supposed to gather chakra in the sweat glands and soles of your feet to work kind of like a suction cup. But you use the suction of chakra just enough to comfortable lift your feet to climb the wall. Too much, and it becomes too unbearable to move your legs and you'll lose your focus eventually. Too little and you won't have the suction to stay attached to the tree. This is why this is known as the most effective way to practice a beginner's chakra control. The same with water walking; too much and the force of your chakra will cut right through the water, too little and you'll sink. You understand how this works now?"

"Yes..um, Kakashi sensei, will you teach us water walking as well?"

Kakashi pondered this with a hand to his chin. "Well I didn't think of that. If you can reach the top of the tree before the end of this week than I suppose we can begin on that training, but I doubt you'll have time for both, as Sasuke and I will be doing solo training after this."

"Okay..." Hinata softly replied.

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After about 2 hours of trying Hinata was the most successful of the 3, as her hyuuga style helped with her chakra manipulation. But they were far from the top. All three were tired and drained. When Kakashi saw this he dismissed Naruto and Hinata for Sasuke's solo training.

"Alright Sasuke, first I'm going to confirm your elemental affinity with this sheet of paper here".

"Affinity?"

"Everyone was affinity, witch allows their elemental jutsu to be stronger then usual. If your elemental affinity has been fire this whole time, then your fire attacks have been getting a boost. That's an example. Now charge your chakra into this piece of paper. Depending on the effect, I'll tell you what affinity you have."

Without a word Sasuke grabbed the paper eagerly and channeled his chakra. The papyer slightly crinkled and then burned.

"It burned, so I'm fire?"

"Ehh sort of, it crumpled first witch makes you lightning affinity with secondary fire." He finished with a thought.

'_Hmm I was hoping he'd be fire, the lightning jutsu I had in mind is a little difficult to learn…'_

"Alright, be prepared Sasuke, this technique is difficult to learn. Activate your sharingan to learn this more easily. In fact you could completely copy it with the sharingan if you can achieve the next state of the sharingan."

"You mean the second tomoe?"

"Yes, although copying jutsu isn't the same as learning it and the jutsu you copy can only be re-used while sing the sharingan but both at once is very chakra draining so its better to learn the jutsu you want to be able to use consistently. But the sharingan records hand signs and how the jutsu works better so it still helps."

Sasuke raised a brow questionably. "How do you know so much about the sharingan?"

Kakashi's eye crinkled showing a smile. "That's a story for another day. Now watch."

He casted a short fuse of hand signs and raised his hands and stretched his arms completely straight.

"Lightning style: Raigeki!" Lightning erupted from his hands and shot out forward, the bolt separating like that of a tree's branches.

"Ohhhhhhh" Sasuke murmured in slight awe.

"This technique can strike a small amount of enemies in front of you in a fan-type array. If this attack hits, it damages your opponents slightly and paralyzes them for a few seconds leaving you to do any more damage you like. The problem is that this attack is easily blocked by someone charging chakra through their body to block. Witch is what ninja's usually always do when they are attacked to block attacks. Also, this attack usually only has a range of up to a meter."

"Tsk". Sasuke merely replied.

"Don't get your panties in a twist Sasuke. This effect is best used to force your enemies into defense if your bombarded by an assault too difficult for you to counter. That's what's so useful about the short casting needed for this technique. Also if you ambushed somebody you could damage them and keep them stunned for another assault. So it does have its uses."

Sasuke seemed satisfied enough. "Alright lets begin". He started the hand signs in correct order and posture. He tried to gather chakra in the way lightning would and thrust his arms forward, keeping them as straight as possible.

"Lightning style: Raigeki!"

All he got was a little spark. Kakashi sweat dropped.

"This is gonnna take a lot of work."

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"Urrg I can't stand this!" Naruto exclaimed pulling at his hair. Hinata looked on warily. Naruto was just watching Sasuke try to learn the Raigeki.

"Stand what Naruto-kun"? She asked polity, tugging at her own hair. She worried it might be too short.

"I know Sasuke won the challenge but I can't stand being left behind. Please Hinata…" He started turning to her heartedly. "Train with me. Please Hinata! I need your help. I don't wanna fall behind. I need you to help me." He begged generously.

Hinata was a little shocked at this sudden need to learn jutsu. But her Naruto needed her. He even told her so. "Of coarse I'll help you, who do you think could teach us elemental jutsu? Someone who has an average in all jutsu…do you know someone?"

Naruto looked toward the sky as if they would answer him, and then he had the answer.

"Oh! I know!"

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Iruka slightly hummed at the proposition his former student asked of him.

"You want me to exploit your affinity and teach you a jutsu accordingly hm?

The two genin nodded. They were determined.

"I guess I could do that. Just remember the jutsu I teach you won't be very impressive since you've only got a week to learn them. But I'm sure they can prove useful in their own way."

"What do they do?" Hinata asked. Iruka pulled out a book with an actually dffinition of many jutsu.

"First, take this paper and channel your chakra into it. It will tell me your affinities."

Hinata and Naruto took the paper and split it in half between them. Naruto channeled his chakra and the paper split in half, it cut the tip of his finger slightly as well. Hinata's paper became soggy and wet.

"Wind and water? Interesting, only a few other people in his village possess the wind affinity. Anyway, I have the perfect jutsu for both of you. The wind jutsu for you Naruto, is a technique that blows wind out of your feet, propelling you in the opposite direction. Not only does it force chakra out of your feet like a fan, but it pushes wind out of your hands and chest in a forward motion to repel close by enemies. Witch is why this technique is considered more defensive. But the feet propel bonus gives it other uses, those uses are up to you though."

Naruto nodded.

"Hinata, yours is more offensive. By gathering the water particles in the ground and around you, you can force icicles out of the ground to attack enemies. It's a rather simple attack, but very effective as you can send the icicles in any direction."

She also nodded.

"Alright, come here to learn thee techniques tomorrow, until the week up until you start the exams."

"Thank you Iruka". Naruto exclaimed happily and turned and walked off. Hinata was about to follow suit but Iruka put a hand on her shoulder to catch her attention.

"Good luck with him eh?" He winked and she blushed.

A week later

"Alright, the nomination for the genin of the chuunin exams is in order. We shall start with the rookies. Would the three jonin of these teams step forward, and tell me of your decision.

"I Kakashi Hatake, Nominate Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata hyuuga, and Sasuke Uchiha all for the chuunin exams."

"Kurenai Yuhi taking the field. I am sensei for Sakura Haruno, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka, I nominate all 3 as well.

" I Asuma Sarutobi nominate my all famous new Ino-Shika-Cho trio for the exams." He chuckled slightly as he said this.

The Hokage turned to Iruka. "You were the former teacher of all these students, do you want to share your opinion.?"

"Yes Hokage-sama". He cleared his throat and turned to him. "I believe these teams will be a standout in this generation." He smiled.

The Hokage chuckled. That would certainly get the other jonin's attention.

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"Alright students! Today is the day of the chuunin exams, are you all excited?" Kakashi asked with a smile.

They all nodded.

"Heh, you certainly don't sound like it"

"Yes SIR!" They all shouted. Kakashi was surprised; even Hinata shouted.

"Alright, I'm going to give you one final chance. If you want, you can wait for next year to do this. Or would you like to enter now?"

The genin said nothing, Kakashi knew the answer.

"Alright, good luck in there."

The three genin entered the room and were greeted by a room full of genin. They were approached by the other rookies and exchanged salutations. A boy with white hair approached them.

"Hey, are you all the rookies?" He asked them.

Kiba crossed his arms. "Who asked you"? The boy chuckled.

"No one did, I asked you, but fro your reaction I can tell you are the rookies. It's nice to meet you, my name is Kabuto Yakushi. I know what it's like to be the rookie. I'll help you out. Do you have any team you want information on?"

The genin were silent, none really knew of anyone dangerous.

"No, instead, I'd like information on the teams we should look out for. Give us your top 5 most dangerous teams." Sasuke asked.

"Sure". He unconsciously grabbed his ninja cards in a flash.

"Neji Hyuuga's squad, consisting of Neji, Tenten and Rock Lee, Dosu Kinuta's team, has Dosu, Kin, and Zaku, and Garra's team. They have Garra, Temari, and Kankuro, they are new this year also but their danger is inevitable. Kimiten Ishoya's team with the Ojuda brothers of the sound also, I don't have much info on them other then their names. But word is they are quite dangerous. And…"

The rookies gasped.

"Looks like the 5th team on the list is yours Sasuke's."

"How'd you know my name?"

Kabuto chuckled. "It's on the card." Only he would know that wasn't true.

"Alright maggots! Listen up and get seated, the chuunin exams starts now!" Anko Mitarashi entered the room and the exams now begun.

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**And that concludes this chappie! Kimiten's team is an OC team I made to add a twist to this story of coarse. I hope I made this chappie interesting and if I made any writing errors please let me know and ill get to fixing it, YOUR ALL MY BETA'S NOW MUAHAHAHAH!**

**Next time! Let the battle begin!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello friends and familly! Well not family but im feeling generous :P**

**Now before this new chapter, ive got a hella cool contest for yall! I was just thinking about the real –less awesomer then mine- Naruto show(lol) And I realized something funny about Naruto's team in misashi's creation. **

**Naruto:Rasengan!**

**Sasuke:Chidori!**

**Sakura:urrgg…Punch…. **

**You know what I mean right? So ive decided to hold a contest for what kind of ultimate move Hinata should have. Come on let your imagination go WILD! Instead of me coming up with somthin, im gonna let yall blast me with your ideas. A prize for the winner as well! The winner will get a spoiler on my story of the final contestants of the chuunin exams. However if you don't like spoilers you don't have to. **

**So come on people show me what amazing jutsu's you have in mind! It has to be an original creation. Not something picked up from another story or something already used in the anime. Also, it has to be similar to chidori and Rasengan. Just leave your jutsu idea in the review section along with some feedback. Thanks!**

**Also one more note before I begin. The writing segment of the chuunin exam will be performed after the forest of death and before the peliminaries. **

**Lets go! WEEEEEEEEE**

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**Chuunin exams: The Forest of Death!**

"We should get seated". Kabuto informed the rookies, and they did so. Anko stepped toward the center of the chalkboard, hands on hips.

"Alright, usually a writing portion of these exams is needed before this stage but this year something different is happening. And our usual host Ibiki Morino has been called on a special top secret S-ranked investigation. Now all of you follow me!"

Forrest of Death

"Alright maggots! This is a special training ground area and also the first part of your chuunin exams! The forest of death. As the name implies, many people have died here. Mainly people taking the exams."

Many ninja gulped at this.

Naruto however, was honestly intrigued. "Ohhh that sounds fun".

He undoubtedly received some questioned stares. Anko was immediately at his side with kunai in hand. "I see we have a guy who likes to kill. I reaaaally wish there were more guys out there like you". She shamelessly licked the boy's cheek and he recoiled like she had hit him. And hilariously enough, she could feel a jealous killing intent from the blue haired hyuuga some feet away.

"However, bloodlusty creeps like you are usually the first to die if you aren't careful."

Seeing his eyes slightly widen she chuckled as she got the required reaction. Being the best friend of an expert interrogator really rubbed off when toying with the human mind.

"Alright, everyone must sign a pledge here that we are not responsible for any deaths within the exams".

A few people raged into outrage until Ino's complaint had been the loudest. "You've got to be kidding! Besides, I'll just knock everyone I see into next week!"

Anko chuckled again at another lively genin.

"Ino you idiot! Do you wanna get us killed or what?" Shikamaru slightly panicked at the…bothersome looks they received.

"Well what do ya know? I really like this bunch. Unfortunately for you all, when this exam is over… half of you will be eliminated. So you better make sure you're the crème of the crop." She announced.

"So how does this contest work then?" Sakura questioned.

Wordlessly Anko grabbed 2 scrolls out of her pocket. One had the kanji for 'earth' and the other was 'heaven' "The goal is to retrieve both of these scrolls and head for the target tower in the center of the forest. The tower is an equal 20 kilometer from each starting point. And each team will receive a scroll. You will retrieve scrolls by attacking teams with the opposite scroll. Unfortunately for you, you don't know who has which scroll."

(I almost spelled 'which' wrong again and someone had pointed out to me I made that mistake last time, heehee)

"I get it, so if people aren't able to reach the tower within the time limit or unable to find people they don't make it. And even if everyone does everything properly, half will still be eliminated. So it's a guarantee that more than 50% of the competitors will fail this course of the exams." A sound ninja with white hair called out. Sasuke recognized him as Kimiten Ishoya. The guy who was on one of the teams Kabuto called dangerous.

'_I wonder what his abilities are'_

"Well ya hit the nail on the head kid. Also don't open the scrolls until you've arrived at the tower...or else you'll wish that you never did." She finished with a chuckle at the questioned looks. "That's pretty much all there is to this exam here. You all have 3 days for this portion of the exams. Now everyone get your scrolls and get ready."

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"Ino...your freakin' crazy!" Shikamaru complained again as they rushed through the forests.

Ino waved her hand dismissively with a sheepish smile. "Ahh lay off that already Shikamaru, no ones gonna track us down or anything. Besides, no one knows who we are or where we are."

Chouji chuckled. "Well if they did want to get at us. They sure as hell know where we're going."

Ino said nothing but Shikamaru interjected again. This time on Ino's side. "Yeah but would they really waste their time waiting to kill us instead of getting on with the exam? Too much time being risked. Well, unless they were lucky to have the opposite scroll as us."

"Yeah, I guess your right." Chouji agreed.

A movement in the distance caught Ino's eye. A guy with a large piece of fur on his back. He was harshly slouched over and had a strange metal contraption on his arm.

"Look guys!" She whispered.

The two boys nodded affirming they saw him. "Looks like play time's over. Is he alone?" Shikamaru asked. Chouji hid behind a tree, craning his head to get a closer look.

"Yeah, it looks that way. Should we attack?" He questioned. Ino also looked toward Shikamaru with an expecting look.

"Yeah…" He sighed. "How troublesome man, but I guess we should take this opportunity. He was one of the dangerous guys Kabuto showed us. If he's by himself we should take the opportunity to flood him with our numbers and teamwork. Ino, I want you to open up our assault with your mind transfer, ok?" He advised.

With a silent nod Ino readied the hand signs for her signature technique. Aiming it at the unmoving Dosu who was still unaware of their presence. She slurred her spirit at the sound ninja. Just as she lost consciousness she gasped and shouted a warning to her teammates.

"Look out! It was a clone." Ino lost consciousness at having her soul thrown into nothing and was unconscious for a short while.

Shikamaru and Chouji were immediately ambushed by three ninja, 2 male and one female. Shikamaru recognized one male as the clone Ino had been tricked by.

"Chouji! Attack!" He yelled desperately. Chouji readied his partial expansion and Shikamaru started the hand signs for his shadow possession. But Zaku was too fast and blew intense winds out of the wholes in his hand. Blowing the boys off balance, they smacked into a tree beside Ino. Shikamaru made a quick move to stand but was quickly pined down by Dosu who lifted his arm casually.

"What are you-Gyaa!" Shikamaru recoiled when a pounding pain attacked his ears and he bent over in pain. Kin, who was directly behind them, pinned Chouji's cloths to the tree behind him with senbon leaving him immobile for a short moment; long enough for Zaku to wrap tight rope around the group.

Shikamaru narrowed one eye in frustration.

"Shit." He cursed. Ino gained consciousness at that moment to be awoken to the 3 sound ninja looming over them.

Dosu reached down to the immobilized group. Grabbing the scroll from Shikamaru's pocket, he became frustrated to see it was the same scroll as his own.

"Darn, same scroll. But perhaps…" He trailed off.

Kin nodded. "Yes, Kimiten and the Ojuda brothers will need this earth scroll. We should save it and look for them as we look for a heaven scroll." Zaku smiled deviously.

"Heh…should we kill them?" He enjoyed the look of terror on the leaf team's face. When he got no reply, Zaku reached for his kunai.

"No, leave it." Dosu interjected. "Killing them will give us nothing. Also another team could possibly track us from this site if we leave a mess. Besides, they aren't going anywhere. Let's go." At this the sound ninja turned and left the scene.

The three genin let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. "Are they gone?" Shikamaru asked, more concerned over his team mates well being.

"Y-yeah." Ino uttered terrified at having nearly lost her life.

Shikamaru furrowed his brows. "The mistake they made was to leave us alive. We'll get em next time! Chouji, you know what to do."

"Right!" Chouji gathered chakra in his entire body. Mentally thanking whoever the creator of this jutsu was for making this jutsu require no hand signs, he called out their escape route.

"Expansion jutsu!" His body vibrated against the tight rope, but the rope gave way under the large mass Chouji had become, ripping into smaller pieces.

Ino winked with triumph. "Nice work Chouji!"

Shikamaru stood dusting himself off. "Gather your bearing and lets get ready to move again." Ino stared dumbly at his effort to take action. When she was about to comment he spoke again.

"I've never been caught off guard like that…and totally owned too. I'll get them back. Let's go guys…lets drive that troublesome team into the ground!"

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"Witch scroll did we get Sasuke?" Naruto asked calmly. Always keeping his eyes and ears open for prey. Or perhaps predators.

"Heaven." He answered calmly. Naruto smirked. "Ahh the place one goes when they die." Naruto answered faking dreaminess.

"Pff not you". Sasuke joked. Naruto narrowed his eyes feigning hurt before he laughed.

"At least I can do this." He yelled happily. "Wind gusher"! He called, performing the jutsu Iruka had taught him, he propelled himself much farther then Hinata and Sasuke were trailing.

Sasuke laughed then scoffed. "Showoff…"He muttered. Hinata giggled at their exchange. She preferred them getting along more then when they endlessly fought during academy days.

Byakugan blazing, she caught something on the corner of her vision. And it was heading in their direction. The chakra of this sole person was eerie and gave her a slight shiver.

"Naruto, Sasuke, be careful! Someone strong is coming. Hide!" She called with a fierce voice. Although that surprised all three of the genin, they complied with her orders and took a hiding spot.

Soon a pale skinned man with long black stepped into the clearing. He looked far too old to be a genin. Alas the ninja took this chance t strike the single target down.

"Ahh Sasuke, I can sense your presence. Show yourself if you want my scroll."

"How do you know my name?" He called. He, Naruto and Hinata stepped close together and out of their hiding spots.

"Ahh…the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan is common news. Come Sasuke, show me your ability." Sasuke narrowed his eyes in focus, what did this creep want? It seemed easier to just ask.

"What do you want with me?" He asked cautiously. The man giggled evilly.

"Lets not rush ahead dearest Sasuke. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Orochimaru. As to what I want… Is of no importance. Because I know what you want Sasuke….ultimate power. Power to defeat your brother. I can give you that power." He told him.

Sasuke's gaze softened at the mention of his brother. He had nearly forgotten his goal. Becoming a ninja, having these team mates…he had almost forgotten. Memories of his brothers face scaled his mind but immediately Sasuke put himself into focus.

"I don't need to leech power from you. I'll do it myself!" This was an unexpected answer from the boy who's story of revenge had gone on for years. Told by his apprentice Kabuto. Sasuke entered a battle stance and motioned his team mates to follow suit.

"Besides, if me and my team mates defeat you here, then what power could you possibly have." Sasuke mocked. Hinata was still unnerved by his chakra and decided to warn her team mates.

"Be careful…he is very strong." She whispered. She hadn't seen chakra signatures that powerful since the bell test against Kakashi. But they had gotten the bells right?

"Back me up guys!" Sasuke called as he rushed toward the tall man. Naruto and Hinata trailing behind with hand signs readied for jutsu. Sasuke was immediately upon the white man barraging him with a flurry of punches to his chest. Sasuke jumped and kicked him in the face but he dispelled into a substitution log. Naruto caught the snake ascending from above with a kick of his own.

"Wind gusher!" Propelling him upward by the gush of wind of his feet he was upon Orochimaru faster then the man calculated. However his reflexes blocked the blonds powerful punch. When he landed his own hit on the blond he vanished into a large plume of smoke. Immediately he was assaulted by Hinata who wasted no time with the opening her team mates gave her.

"Water style: Ice spears!" The deadly icicles descended onto Orochimaru. However he blocked and deflected as he came to a landing. Hinata rushed to him bombarding him with her gentle fist tai-jutsu. He dodged with his snake like body in strange ways. Hinata's attacks started to speed up and her own flexible body helped her keep him on the defensive. Orochimaru noticed Naruto ascending on him again. With incredible speed he suddenly kicked Hinata on her side and knocked her back. Extending his neck, his head raced toward Naruto using the headband to knock him back by head butting his chest.

"Lightning style: Raigeki!" Sasuke called as Orochimaru was bombarded with the electrical attack.

"Interesting…" He muttered softly.

"Fire style: Multi rapid flame storm!" Sasuke called out. Instead of the one deadly stream of fire, 3 streams came cruising out of his mouth toward Orochimaru engulfing him.

"Did we get him?" Naruto asked. The other 2 didn't answer and kept their gaze sharp.

"Hehehehe…" Came a low chuckle as the flames died. Orochimaru stood there unharmed. "The Nine tailed fox brat and the Hyuuga princess…quite a team you all make."

Naruto raised a brow. "Nine tailed fox brat?"

The man chuckled. "I see how it is. Well then I shall leave with a parting gift for you Sasuke…"

He vanished and was instantly behind Sasuke. Swiftly biting the back of Sasuke's neck he retreated to his original position.

"Ahhhhhh! What the hell is this?" Sasuke yelled bloody murder as he rolled and tucked in pain.

"A test for you Sasuke. People who are bitten by my curse mark only have a 10% chance to live. Those are the truly strong ninja. You WILL come to me in search of ultimate power." He told the boy as he slipped into unconsciousness. He turned to Naruto again.

"You boy! You have no idea how much history runs through your bloody veins. The history of the decades that has passed will come back to haunt you. Even if it isn't your fault. You are truly cursed…Hehehehe... a parting gift from me to you as well."

He was upon Naruto in an instant. His finger tips glowing purple.

"Five pronged seal!" Hitting Naruto where his seal would be making it become visible.

'_A seal? What is it for?'_ Hinata pondered. But remembered she needed to protect Naruto. Rushing toward Orochimaru, she sent a gentle fist strike to him that knocked him back.

"Urrg…brat."

She remained with a calm stare on her face.

"How interesting… You are indeed strong. But your bloodline does not allow me the ability I desire. I'll need to leave you alive so you can protect Sasuke from other teams… You're very lucky. Today I shall let you live…"

And the man vanished, leaving Hinata alone with the unconscious team mates.

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"So have you found anyone Kujumo?" Kimiten asked as they rushed through the forest. They had split up to scout the area and had just met up again.

"Sorry boss. I haven't." Kujumo was a rather large beast of a man. Nearly 7 feet in height, he was a monstrosity. However, he was clumsier then he was strong but was dangerous when put on a rampage. His brother Kayko Ojuda was quite the opposite. Small and fast. Smart and conniving. But he was less strong. The Ojuda brothers tactics were to work together in perfect unison to take down foes. The leader was not a relative of the Ojuda brothers. Fierce and quick, Kimiten Ishoya was average height for a 13 year old. His strange tactics and unmovable will made him the leader of his group.

"Kayko?"

The short boy shook his head solemnly.

Kimiten closed his eyes in frustration. "Sigh… Sometimes I feel like Orochimaru forgot to give you tracker training." He cursed.

"Kimiten!" A call cried from a distance. Turning around the team met the gaze of Kin who arrived with her companions.

"Team Dosu? What do you want? You should be focusing on passing this exam. You should be following orders Dosu." Kimiten mocked. The teams failure to track anyone since daylight had his temper short. Kin stepped forward with a seductive walk holding an earth scroll.

"Didn't your team need an earth scroll?" She whispered softly. Kimiten rolled his eyes.

"Sorry Kin I told you I'm not interested. Besides, isn't that your scroll?"

Dosu slouched forward. "No it isn't. We had a run in with a team who attacked us but we were victorious. Unfortunately we don't need this one, but we knew you would. And according to what I heard just now you've been having a bit of trouble so this would be a lucky break."

"I'm no fool Dosu, you didn't do this out of good will. What do you want from us in return for it?" Kimiten questioned.

"Sharp as ever Kimiten. I can see why you were always one of Orochimaru's favorites'. You're correct. For this scroll, I want assistance for helping us locate a heaven scroll. With our prowess of tracking combined with you're teams superb strength, no team is safe."

"That sounds like a good idea boss." Kujumo interjected.

Kimiten paused considering it for a moment. And then he answered.

"Fine just get us a lead already." He agreed irritated.

Dosu laughed evilly but complied. "I can already hear our prey. Only 1 set of feet are moving, so perhaps they are alone. Shall we proceed?"

"Of course". And with that the 2 teams set upon their victim.

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Hinata had been running for quite some time with Sasuke and Naruto in tow. She couldn't afford to be tired now. Her friends were hurt and needed to get the away from open grounds and into a secluded area. Finding a spot under some overgrown tree roots, she settled herself and her team mates under to give them cover from view. Activating her Byakugan to view the area, she was mortified to see SIX people very near her, and worse….

Headed straight in her direction.

Making double sure her team mates were hidden well she braced herself for what would be the ultimate challenge.

When her opponents came into view she froze entirely. These two teams were among the extremely dangerous ones Kabuto had warned her about.

"Looks like today is your unlucky day girl. Give us your scroll and I won't kill you." Zaku called suddenly. And without warning to both Hinata and his comrades, he dashed for the girl without waiting for an answer. However Hinata's nerves were on alert because of the danger of these ninja, and her reaction time was impeccable. Seeing the chakra surge through his arms rushing out through the hole in his hand, Hinata rushed ahead at alarming speeds. Zaku didn't think she was so fast and recoiled in surprise. Hinata took this opportunity to shut off the chakra points near his wrist that allowed chakra flow through his hand, making it useless. Acting fast again, she lashed out to strike his lung but was bombarded by small metal beads thrown by Kimiten and was forced to dodge.

'_Beads?' _She thought questionably. If they were just round she could probably just withstand impact but the beads also came to a point, like an extremely small arrow head.

"I won't allow you to hurt my comrades or take our scroll. If I just handed it over to you, Naruto would never forgive me. And then I would die inside anyway…" She murmured to herself. "Then…" She took a battle stance to the surprise of the sound ninja. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have a choice…"

Dosu stepped forward. "So be it." Raising his arm, Hinata was suddenly pounded by a belching pain in her ears and bent over in pain. Deciding to assist, Kin threw a few senbon at Hinata.

_The rotation not only blocks all attacks, but repels them back at their opponent making it a truly formidable defense._

Remembering the words of her father explaining the rotation to Hanabi, Hinata put the pain in the back of her head and suddenly fired up the rotation, repelling the oncoming senbon and the sound waves. Dosu bent over in pain at the backlashing sound waves and Kin blocked the hits with her arm, but they were only minor.

"A Hyuuga". Kimiten murmured. Hinata focused on him as he spoke. He had remained calm and vigilant and had kept his own team under his control. He looked strong as well. After a pause and the sound waves ended, Kimiten drew out 2 unique weapons. They were both Ring blades, blades that were in the shape of a large cercal with the hilt running all along the inside of the ring of the blade. He eyed the Hyuuga curiously still unsure of his actions. Even with a peculiar fighting style, head to head was suicide especially with her reaction time.

"Wait guys, she might not have the scroll." He warned. It didn't matter much really but they clearly had her outmatched. Zaku stood up again, his arm burning with the pain of her strikes.

"Screw that, I'm still gonna kill her for what she did!" Raising his voice and his good arm he was about to charge for the girl but Kin stopped him.

"No let me…" She pleaded and Zaku caught her drift. Hinata watched the exchange with care being ready for anything.

"Guys…" Kimiten tried to get their attention again but was ignored again. As Kin rushed Hinata with hand signs for an unusual gen-jutsu Hinata braced herself.

To the surprise of everyone there, Kimiten intercepted Kin's ongoing assault by throwing more metal beads at her at super sonic speeds forcing her to evade.

"Kimiten what the hell is your deal?" Kin snapped. Hinata was still alert, thinking this might be their trick way of getting closer to her.

"I didn't sign up for this shit. You aren't listening to my orders. In fact I'm tired of Orochimaru and all his damn experiments on me. I'm ending it here!" He announced. He wasn't truly sure of his own motives honestly. However when he pondered on attacking Hinata earlier, something told him not to. But fighting back…felt a lot better.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out 2 pills and handed them to Hinata.

"Take these pills and run. One pill restores your chakra and the other replenishes any wounds you might have had. Don't question this motive, just move. I'll protect you're team mates and meet up with you in a moment."

Hinata wasn't sure to trust him, so she stayed.

"No…let me help you." Kimiten would have none of it. He whispered softly. "I want you to leave to draw out Dosu's team so I can take on the Ojuda brothers without trouble. I'll join you in a bit, just trust me."

"How? Why would you help me anyway?"

"It's not to help you…its something personal with my master Orochimaru. Maybe I'll explain later but just go!" Nudging her, Hinata finally gave in, but would keep an eye on the scene with her Byakugan.

Kujumo noticed Hinata fleeing the scene. "Dosu! She's getting away, go after her!" The large man told them and Dosu gave chased with his team to the girl. He felt no need to get involved with Kimiten's teams issues and decided to continue with his prime goal of getting the scroll.

"Now we'll get rid of you traitor!" Kujumo announced. But Kimiten chuckled sadistically.

"You stupid fool…you fell for my trick and now you'll pay for it. You may have me outnumbered but I have something that you don't…" He trailed off as sinister black markings spread across his skin…

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Hinata kept her eye on the scene as she fled. Seeing that Kimiten hadn't made a move on the scroll Sasuke held she decided to open her trust a bit and focus on the team chasing her. Knowing they would eventually catch her and Kimiten would be back soon, she turned to face the opponents and they stopped.

"You'll pay for my arm you freak!" Zaku yelled again but Dosu became irritated.

"Zaku calm yourself down. Foolhardy actions will only…HEY!" He stopped mid sentence when Zaku suddenly charged the girl. A hungry killer look in his gaze as he charged. He struck at Hinata's head but the girl ducked and aimed a gentle fist at his good arm but he backed away, more aware of her speed and effects of her attacks he backed his arm away and aimed a kick to her head. When his hit landed, she disappeared and a log replaced her position.

"Damn it, where'd she go!" He cursed but was soon rained down on icicles raining down on him from above.

"Sonic fang!" Dosu called out as the sonic waves repelled the icicles.

Hinata came out of her hiding spot in the tree above, Hinata rained down on them while using the Rotation. Noticing the danger in the giant rushing ball of chakra, Dosu called out to his team mates.

"Move!"

Barely dashing out of the way the sound genin slid to a halt. But when the rotation hit the ground, nothing happened.

"What?" Dosu wondered and then he realized it. "A clone!" Just then Hinata rushed for Zaku again but Kin rained on her with kunai and Senbon. Forced to dodge, Kin followed her movement with my senbon. Aiming at her feet Hinata jumped to avoid the senbon when a gust of wind erupted at her from Zaku's hand when she jumped. Forcing her back and slammed her into a tree. Although her torture wasn't over as Dosu slammed her deeper into a tree with another sonic fang. Coughing up blood Hinata fell to the ground on her hands and knees.

Dosu was on her in a moment. "It's over." Raising his arm he was suddenly interrupted by a cry of "Gentle Fist!" Being slammed back by the fierce blow, Dosu realized that it was not Hinata that had delivered the blow. Hinata looked up to view the new figure.

Neji Hyuuga. And soon, Tenten and Lee had also entered the fray.

"N-neji!" She stammered. The boy that had always been so harsh standing there had given her a chill and old memories of her younger self.

"Hinata-sama…I've always told you how destinies cannot be changed…And even though I loathe my own, it is the destinies of the side branch to protect the main branch. Lee, Tenten! Lets go!" He announced as they took battle stances. Hinata smiled kindly.

"Thank you…"

Neji scoffed. "Hmpf…do not misunderstand me…Hiashi would have my head if he knew I ignored your death without taking action to stop it." At these words Hinata stood slowly and took her own battle stance.

"I can still…huff…fight."

"Fine. But if you cannot fight any longer I will stop you from pushing yourself." Neji affirmed.

"Hinata's flames of youth are burning brighter then I imagined." Lee commented. But Zaku's patience ran thin.

"Enough of this, time to end this!" But before he charged another interruption came.

"Stop right there!" Soon, Shikamaru and his troops entered the battle area. "We've got a score to settle with you sound ninja!"

"Big talk for people who lost in minutes!" Kin interjected. But soon even more people entered the fray. Kiba's team.

"You mess with a friend and a rookie, and you mess with us, right guys?" Kiba announced as Sakura and Shino took battle stances.

"Right!"

"A comrade will always receive my help."

Clearly out numbered the sound ninja became more and more furious. And then it got worse. Kimiten entered the area, blood mattered his skin, but it was not his own. Carrying Naruto and Sasuke on his back he set them down next to Hinata.

"You foolish sound ninja. Leaving the Ojuda brothers to challenge me. That's what you get for toying with someone with the power of the Kaguya clan!"

"What? But your last name is Ishoya is it not?" Dosu asked.

"Long story but that doesn't matter now." He joined the others and took a battle stance. Clearly out matched by the large mass of ninja, Dosu gave in.

"Fine then, I'll give you my scroll if you let us go."

"Pff we don't need it! We all already have each pair-"

"Wait Sakura!" Hinata interjected. "I need the earth scroll. It's better to accept their offer and take the scroll and let them live then to just kill them and take it…I don't want to kill them needlessly."

Lee gave her a thumbs up. "Indeed! Hinata's flames of youth burn extremely bright with kindness"!

Hinata blushed at the praise. Then Dosu threw the scroll towards them. With a silent nod of agreement from the leaf shinobi they took their leave.

"Looks like that's it." Kiba commented.

"Why are you all here?" Hinata asked.

"Well we had our scrolls and were headed for the tower but we saw everyone here and decided to help you out." Sakura answered.

"We'd been tracking those sound ninja for a while after they humiliatingly defeated us. We wanted our scroll back so we gave chase and we saw Neji's team here." Shikamaru answered.

Tenten decided to answer this time. "Well we were going through the forests to the tower and even though we were far away, Neji sensed a lowering chakra signature and recognized it as Hinata's so we came and helped out."

Hinata nodded at there answered and turned to Kimiten. "Thank you, without your help I might not have lasted as long as I did." Kimiten smiled. No one had ever been so kind.

"Owww…my freakin' head!" Came a low cry as Naruto awoke.

Hinata immediately jolted in his direction crying as she suddenly hugged him close and sobbed uncontrollably. "N-Naruto…I was so worried for you…I thought…I thought…I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-"

Hinata's crys were cut off by Naruto stifled laughter. Hinata pulled away questionably.

"Sorry it's just you sounded so funny stuttering so much." He smiled as he said this. Hinata smiled back. In his own distant way Naruto was being kind and comforting her.

Suddenly Neji interjected. "Naruto you fool! You'd better keep Hinata safe like a real man next time or else Hiashi will turn my brains into jelly. If I find out you were SLEEPING when you should have been protecting her I'll-"

"Wh-what! Wait! I wasn't sleeping I was…next time?" He paused and looked at Hinata with more care noticing her injuries. "Hinata! You look awful!"

Sakura bonked him on the head. "Nice going Naruto, every girl LOVES hearing that." She yelled with the 'chibi head'

"Sakura? Hey! What's everyone doing here?" He yelled.

Shino talked for the first time in a while. "Looks like his senses are returning. We were here helping Hinata as you were unconscious."

"Oh…"He pondered. "Come on Hinata-chan, we should get going, explain it more to me on the way." He hefted Sasuke on his back as they started to walk off again. Craning his neck back he yelled back to the genin, "Thanks again for helping Hinata-chan out!" And soon they were out of view.

"Naruto seems very different then his usual self". Shino commented. Sakura nodded.

"Yeah…he didn't even call me Sakura-chan anymore, he calls Hinata that now. I think he's stopped liking me." She noticed with a sigh.

"Ohhhhhh! Jealous Sakura?" Kiba teased.

"SHUT IT DOG BREATH!" She yelled back to him. "Honestly I'm not. It's a weird surprise and even though I think Naruto's way cooler now then before, he's still not my type." And even if some didn't believe her, Sakura herself knew what she said was the truth, and was happy knowing that.

Neji ended the discussion with a comment to disperse the group.

"Well, we should all dispatch from this area if there is nothing left. Good luck to all of you." He stated more then actually wishing them luck. Lee spoke again though. "Kimiten my youthful friend! Thank you again for helping our comrade, but it looks as though you've killed your team mates, how will you advance, and what will you do now?" Lee asked. Kimiten smiled at these kind leaf ninja. "Team mates are killed all the time in the chuunin exams. I can advance on my own, thanks for the concern. As for my plans, I'll have to go back to the sound village and pretend it wasn't my fault for their death. I'll be seeing you all at the tower. Good luck."

"Right!" Most people shouted in unison.

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"So thats how it happened huh?" Naruto asked as Hinata explained the series of events to him.

"Yes…I didn't want you to think I was weak by just giving up…so I fought all 6 of them for a while…"

"What made you think I would hate you and think you were weak? I understand I'm…different then when we were kids but that doesn't mean I have no sympathy. Hinata, You are one of the sole people I can trust. You've saved my life when Mizuki betrayed me…I would never be mad at you. You should have done the plausible thing and given them the scroll. I'd rather fail the exam then lose the only person I can trust."

Hinata was touched very much that Naruto said such a thing like that and smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Hinata…you're crying! I didn't say anything negative, what's wrong?" He asked worriedly. After he said this he whispered softly "Negative? Man when did I start talking like a machine?"

At this Hinata giggled through her sobs and tears. "I'm just so happy you said that…No one has ever cared about me so much. And what's more funny is that your probably the person who I've wanted to hear that from the most…"

Naruto titled his head and raised his brow. "Why me?" Hinata blushed and smiled slightly, bringing her hand up to her mouth to try and cover her blush. "It's because…I…you…" She looked back up and Naruto was a lot closer then before, bending over with his head tilted more. A gesture meaning he couldn't truly hear her.

"What?" He asked honestly and Hinata sighed.

"!" She said far too quickly. Naruto leaned in even closer.

"What?" Hinata looked up and Naruto's face was mere inches from hers.

"I'd always…" But she trailed off as her eyes looked into his cool, calm, large expecting eyes. Without realizing it, she smiled dreamily at him. When she finally snapped out of it Naruto laughed at her strange behavior and she blushed again.

"Naruto…its because I've always sympathized with you for your loneliness in the academy…I was alone but I always gave up…But you never did that. It's why I wanted you to notice me more, because you were an amazing person in that way."

Naruto smiled. Taking advantage of the closeness he and Hinata had, he hugged her close and whispered in her ear, "Well…I said it and I notice you more then anyone else now. I'd have to be a fool not to." Laughing at himself he didn't notice another glimmer in the young girls eyes.

**I notice you more then anyone else**

Did he mean that she was his most precious person? Smiling brightly she hugged him tightly and uttered a soft "Thank you".

Naruto smiled softly to himself and thought back to when she had first hugged him.

_She was able to hear the heart monitor in his hospital room reading a blank or 'dead' heart rate since no one was connected to it. Hinata was reminded how easily Naruto could have died from whatever had happened to him. She closed to small distance between them as she hugged him close, much to the astonishment of the boy._

_"I'm…I'm so glad."_

Naruto sighed inwardly and shivered slightly at the touch. When he held her in his arms he felt like he could trust anyone. Since he wasn't much taller then the girl, he rested his right cheek on her left shoulder, looking at the side of her head. Soon Hinata did the same and they were staring longingly into each others eyes. And soon enough, the invisible force known as longing, were pulling the two closer together until…

"GAAAAAAAAAAAH!

With a gasp, Naruto and Hinata had broken out of their gaze with a yelp. They brushed aside any embarrassment they felt and hurried to rush toward the now screaming Sasuke. Naruto took hold of him and lifted him up slightly to take a look at him and Hinata checked his vitals with the Byakugan. Soon she noticed a mark growing on his neck.

"Naruto-kun, look!" She yelled frantically as a strange tattoo with a 3 tomoe design made its appearance on the back of Sasuke's neck near the bite mark Orochimaru had left.

"What is that?" He asked. Still slightly hazy from almost kissing Hinata. It was hard to stay focused.

"I'm not sure…we should ask Kakashi sensei when we see him." She whispered.

Naruto nodded, slightly shifting his legs as he remembered the closeness on a more intimate level. Luckily Hinata didn't notice.

"Ok, the tower is close though. We should get there shortly".

"Ohhh…" Sasuke whined as he was welcomed into the world of the living.

"Sasuke! Are you alright? How are ya feeling?" Naruto asked as Sasuke rubbed his head.

"Like a hangover is possible without getting drunk…Oh man, how long was I out?"

Naruto and Hinata chuckled softly as he said this. But Naruto was the one that answered.

"Hinata was watching over us while we were unconscious, and man did we miss all the action or what! Hinata was fighting a bunch of people all by herself and owning! You remember that guy Dosu and Kimiten on the cards Kabuto showed us? They attacked Hinata but when she started losing, Kimiten helped Hinata out because he has some personal problem with Orochimaru, which is who there working for. Then a bunch of people started helping…"

Naruto's voice trailed off as he told Sasuke of Hinata's exploits, all 3 friends walking to the tower together.

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"Oh man...look at these guys. They must have been like mutilated or something." Kankuro commented as he looked at the two dead bodies. One body was a very large mass, and one was a small skinny boy. They were both from the sound village.

Temari inspected Kujumo's remains with disgust. "Look at this guy…His head was ripped off and his heart was mashed together with his brains. His arms and legs are sliced into 10 individual pieces per limb. Exactly 10. For someone to be so cruel they sure were mathematical with their killing."

Gaara looked on with boredom. "Temari…Kankuro…stop sightseeing before I show you a truly gruesome display of mutilation." At this, Kankuro and Temari stiffened immediately.

"R-right!" They stammered.

Gaara took another look at the sight before turning off and saying softly. "Whoever did this must be truly powerful…I hope I can face them…It would be…_**Entertaining…**_"

The other 2 sand ninja shivered as the 1 tailed demons voice overrode Gaara's own as he said that last word. Without another word, the 3 sand genin made their way for the tower.

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"Finally were here!" Naruto called as they neared the tower. Looking towards the empty room in the center the only thing in the room was the large bulletin board hanging on the wall.

"Whats that?" Naruto asked sheepishly. And Sasuke read it outloud.

"If heavenly qualities are what you desire, seek knowledge and wisdom to take your mind higher. If earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack. If heaven and earth are opened together, the path to success will be righteous forever. This …blank… is what guides us from this place today…What do you suppose this means Naruto?" Sasuke asked.

"You're asking ME? That's a first…well anyway; it said earth and heaven, just like the scrolls. Maybe we should open them eh?"

After a silence, Hinata and Sasuke nodded.

"Here goes nothing…" And with a quick yank he opened both scrolls and in an instant, a large puff of smoke greeted Iruka to the stand.

"Iruka sensei? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked.

Iruka sighed. "The fact that you're here means you've made it safely. Congratulations, you've passed the first portion of the chuunin exams. Congratulations."

"Iruka, whats with the message on the wall?" Hinata asked. Iruka looked behind him glancing at the bulletin.

"Ahh its been a while. The first sentence. If heaven is what you desire seek knowledge to take your mind higher. It means if your ability to think rationally is low hit the books, become knowledgeable on the ways of a ninja. If earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack. If your body and stamina is weak, it means to keep practicing at training to overcome this. When the heaven and earth are open together, the path to success is righteous forever. If you are smart and strong, even the toughest missions can be done. This 'blank' is what guides us from this place today. Meaning these are the qualities meant for being a chuunin. The missing word is Chuunin. Alright, move on to the next room where the writing portion of your exams will begin."

Written exam stage

Many desks aligned the room with a large portion of genin in the area. In front of the large mass of ninja, stood Ibiki Morino. The head ninja in interrogation quarters of Konoha.

"Alright you little fools I'm going to explain the rules of the writing exam. Your going to be writing a test consisting of 9 questions. Each team need to get a certain amount of points all together to pass. Then, an hour later, you will be given the 10th and final question. If we find anyone cheating, you'll immediately be disqualified. Now everyone go to your assigned seat."

When everyone was seated and the papers were handed out, Kiba muttered "Holy shit these questions are fuckin' impossible…" Earning a lot of chuckles in the room. But soon, everyone faced the same problem. Some realized the questions were far too difficult to do on brain alone. Some cheated early, witch spurred the will in others to find ways to cheat. Hinata used the Byakugan to see other people's answers; Sasuke copied the movements of people's hands to copy their work. Naruto did something quite different however. Learning that he receives the memories of fallen shadow clones, he created a clone witch in turn transformed itself into a bug. When the bug returned, Naruto would pinch it between his fingers and gain the memories of the wandering bug clone. When the final minute had passed, All 3 of team 7 amazingly had all 9 questions down.

"Well one hour has passed. Now before I give you all the final question I have a question to ask. If you feel like your team has too little points to go on, you can quit and come next year, however if you continue and haven't the amount of points needed, you'll never be legible to take the exams."

"I don't get how that's possible. There are people who have taken the exams lots of times." Shikamaru commented. Ibiki chuckled.

"That's because they didn't have me as a host. Looks like you just got unlucky with me this year. Now, who wants to back down?"

As more and more contestants had left the room, some of the contestants bravery wavered, but most stayed.

"Now, are you ready for the final question?" Ibiki asked with glee. When he received no answer, he proceeded to the next step. "If that is all, the only thing left to say is…"

The students sat on the edge of their seat. "Congradulations, you pass."

"What the hell? What's the point of the 10th question?" Temari asked.

Ibiki took chalk and drew on the board the kanji for earth and heaven. "As you all read earlier, earth represents body as heaven represents mind. However, knowing this and the difference between the two is not the same as truly learning the lesson to be said. A chuunin cannot just have the qualities of earth and heaven, but have to have the abilities to learn and advance. The forest part of the exam tested both of your qualities of heaven and earth. And when you were told of this via bulletin when you entered the tower, the written test would be proof if you could truly remember your earth and heaven and overcome the challenges not just by answering questions and solving things with your mind, but to exploit them without clumsiness with your body. Earth, heaven, and the ability to learn is the quality needed for a chuunin. Passing this exam proves you are all fit to be chuunin and compete in the finals. However, we have far too much ninja to compete in the final rounds. And so a preliminary round is needed. All of you, congratulations on passing the exams, but now you must move on to your next step. Follow me."

Chuunin Exam Preliminary Stadium.

"Hokage, I have brought the ninja needed for the preliminaries." Ibiki announced.

Sarutobi bowed his head. "Thank you. Alright ninja as Ibiki might have told you, a preliminary round is necessary to proceed. The last coarse of the exam is a battle against your fellow ninja, however you will no longer perform in teams now, but as individuals."

At this news Hinata's eyes softened with sadness and worry. Naruto took notice to this and nudged her with his elbow. When she looked over to him he winked and whispered, "Don't worry Hinata, you fought off entire teams in the forest, you'll do fine, I promise". She smiled back but when they both glanced away their gazes shot to the side like a squirrel to a tree. Sasuke looked on with a slight humor.

'_They have it bad for each other…its actually funny to watch, I hope they don't get together and just totally fuck their brains out anytime soon…its fun to watch em squirm like that' _Ending his thoughts, Sasuke tried to remember when he had gotten such a humorous look on his team mates. Brushing it aside he repaid attention the Hokage.

"This electrical board behind me will display the names of the two fighters that are to square off. The ones who aren't fighting will proceed up the stairs to the side to watch the fight. But first, does anyone wish to back out early?" When he received no answer he was about to proceed when a hand went up.

"I'd like to withdraw from the exams." Kabuto announced. The Hokage nodded.

"Alright, you can make your way out of the room". Kabuto did so, and as he did received questioned stares of the rookie nine. But Naruto found him hard to trust, he was too…nice to be someone they just met.

'_Lord Orochimaru will be pleased with the new talent of genin this year'_ Kabuto announced mentally, holding his latest edition of ninja info cards.

"Alright, now we will see the first 2 battle contestants on the screen now."

Naruto Uzumaki versus Sakura Haruno

"Alright," Hayate called. "These two contestants stay here, the rest of you, will proceed upstairs to watch."

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

**YAY! CHAPIE CHAPIE CHAPIE! Been a while since i uploaded, i hope you guys enjoyed my humble chapter. Please remember to submit a review and make your post to compete in my fabulous contest :)**

**Quote of the day! Pirates versus ninja! Hiyyya! *pirate runs***

**NINJA'S ALWAYS WIN.**

**Sorry for my randomness, hope you enjoyed :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again! A special thanks to all my readers and supporters, im so happy to have you all :D**

**And now! As for the final results for my contest. It was a tight shift between The Unknown Twinkie's Icicle Blast and Kingkakashi's Tsuku Yari (Thrusting spear)**

**But the final winner is…Kingkakashi! Congratulations bubba. And I thank everyone for participating your jutsu ideas were all spectacular and your all winners 3 love you all!**

_**A small column of chakra with a point or spearhead at the end erupting from the palm of Hinata's hand where a chakra point would be. The Hakkeshou Kaiten(8 trigrams palm rotation) of the Hyuga clan is created by a Hyuga releasing chakra**_** from all their **_**chakra points and spinning. Hinata just releases a concentrated portion of chakra from a single chakra point in her hand and forms a chakra sphere that comes to a point like a spear or drill. Giving it the name Thrusting spear or Tsukuyari**_

**I'm so happy to have so many viewers and supporters and I hope you all continue to read.**

**O-O-O****-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O**

"Aw man Sakura; you hit the jackpot with that one." Kiba openly mocked as he made his way up the stairs. Although it made Sakura feel predictable and selfish, she had to agree. Hinata and Sasuke seemed like some all star fighters as of recently. They probably dragged Naruto up the ranks to get this far. She couldn't believe he did it on his own strength.

'_Good luck…Naruto-kun' _Hinata wished from the side.

Sakura looked to the stand where her team mates were and then back to Naruto who had a calm gaze. "Naruto you can drop the act we all know your probably itching to get on with the fight. I mean it's not like your Sasuke or anything."

"Let the battle begin." Hayate announced quietly with a cough.

"Besides everyone knows you're the weake-GAH!" Sakura was interrupted when Naruto-who was waiting patiently for the battle to start-, punched her harshly in the stomach, sending her back a few feet. But Sakura jumped back before he continued his assault. Then Naruto spoke for the first time since the battle began.

"Your right, I was the weakest in our class. I'll be mature enough to admit it, but I've changed since that day with the help of my new team. I am not the same boy you've known…" He trailed off as he unzipped his jacket, turned to Hinata and Sasuke before yelling "Hey guys, catch!" As he threw it toward them, the jacket trailed slightly in Sasuke direction, but before he caught it, Hinata harshly stepped in the way yelling quickly, "Mine!" As she caught the garment she discovered what she had done and the stares she received. But when Naruto only chuckled, Hinata sighed with relief that he didn't find her action all that strange. Finally, Naruto turned back to Sakura.

"You may have known me as the idiot who wore that orange jacket all the time. But now I'm facing you as a new person." Naruto took a battle stance which Sakura noted was a lot higher grade then the one he used to know in the academy.

"Heh…" She exhaled while looking down slightly but still at the blond in front of her. "Looks like you aren't a kid anymore. Alright…" Adjusting her headband to go over her forehead, she took her own battle stance. "Lets go!" She yelled charging the boy.

Sakura aimed a flurry of well aimed punches at Naruto who dodged just as accurately. When she aimed a kick to his head he jumped over the attack, straightened his body with his head toward her and yelled his jutsu, **"Wind gusher!"** The wind propelled his feet toward her as he attempted to ram his head into her stomach. However Sakura dodged the attack. When Naruto saw that he missed, he did a hand stand before his head hit the ground. Sakura aimed another kick at the now upside down boy's stomach. Naruto just caught the blow by locking with his knee and shifted his body lower to kick her feet out from under her. He succeeded and she fell over hitting the ground with a thud. But her torture wasn't over when Naruto elbowed her in the stomach. However the pain snapped her out of it and she rolled away from his next punch. When her sensei Kurenai's words rang out in her head.

_Out of all our graduates, you have the most superb chakra control I've ever seen out of a lot of generations. This is ideal for much genjutsu and using chakra to enhance the speed of your running and punching._

Gathering chakra in her arm, she aimed a punch at Naruto at quick speeds. Naruto blocked, but the momentum of the punches speed, and something they did not expect-super human strength- sent the boy flying back. At this many of the jonin gasped. Mainly the 3rd Hokage was the most questioned.

'_I always knew she had super chakra control, but for it to be so profound and focused…I've never seen something like that since Tsunade…' _

Naruto skidded back on his feet from the blow astonished much like the pink haired girl. He made a mental note to keep clear of those deadly punches. Sakura looked at her fists, clenching and unclenching them while gathering chakra the same way she had before. Without a doubt, she could feel the power of her chakra enhancing her strength. She looked up at Naruto with a knowing smirk before cracking her knuckles and rushing at him.

Just before she aimed her punch, Naruto jumped up suddenly, dodging her punch and bringing his leg down on the top of her head forcing her head downward. Then when his foot hit the ground, he did a 360 twist and using the momentum of his spin, kicked her in the side of her head. But before his kick landed, he swiftly activated the wind gusher witch added force and power to his kick witch propelled her even farther, 10 meters away. Naruto charged her as she stood back up, but using chakra in her hands again, she whipped kunai and shuriken ferociously at the boy. She smiled when they landed but was questioned when he vanished in a puff of smoke.

"A clone? But when…" She trailed off when she remembered a crucial moment.

_**Sakura looked at her fists, clenching and unclenching them while gathering chakra the same way she had before. Without a doubt, she could be the power of her chakra enhancing her strength.**_

'_Damnit! While I was experimenting with my strength while enhanced by chakra, I wasn't watching him; he must have replaced himself with a clone. But clones can't hit people. So that must have been…no way… it can't be…that's a jonin level jutsu!' _She thought with disbelief.

Her pondering was cut short when Naruto was not in view of her and she was on her wits end.

_**Thwip!**_

Sakura gasped as she heard a kunai whip through the air. '_Above!'_ Her reaction time was impeccable as she just dodged a kunai aimed at her from a diagonal angle that was about to hit her in her chest. Naruto had run up the wall and was now hanging sideways looking at Sakura from a distance.

She reached for her kunai pocket when suddenly; a bunch of Naruto clones dashed out from under the ground and attacked her. Put on the defensive, she blocked with every limb she had. She brought her leg up to kick a clone but suddenly she couldn't move her feet. Looking down, she saw two arms sticking out of the ground and gripping her ankles.

'_Smart…'_ She cursed but was brought into the world of the living when she just blocked a punch.

With just her arms to block, a lot of attacks came through and she took a few hits and punches. Knowing the limits of her low stamina she knew she had to do something quick.

Charging her hands with chakra for super strength, she punched the ground witch caused rocks to go flying and the floor to collapse under the clones, and the force of the punch dispatched the clone grabbing her ankles.

The true Naruto hanging on the wall charged her with the speed of wind gusher behind him with his fist forward. Sakura dodged the human bullet and created hand signs.

"**Time for my trump card! Genjutsu: Madder Mist!"** Soon a soft pink mist encompassed the area. Naruto could see flashing of multiple people running in circles around him.

'_Pink mist? Figures…'_ Naruto thought with sarcasm. He saw a figure rushing him through the mist. It aimed a punch at his head but Naruto dodged and kicked the figure in the stomach. When his foot made contact however, Sakura vanished in a flurry of pink leaves, further tempering his vision. He heard steps coming and turned quickly. He couldn't see what the figure was about to do as it jumped toward him. In the thick of the moment however, Naruto remembered that wind gusher had 2 effects. To propel the user by gushing wind out of the feet, but it also repelled frontal attacks and blew them back, making it a defensive and move. Seeing the image draw close, Naruto called out his jutsu.

"**Wind gusher!"** Propelling deadly winds out of his chest, Naruto didn't get the desired effect of blowing her back ferociously. However it lived up to its basic use and repelled Sakura away. Naruto looked down at his black shirt, realizing it had muffled the wind jutsu slightly. While it did the repel effect, Naruto knew with extra chakra and getting rid of layers over his skin, it could offensively blow people back.

Sakura however was on him again with 2 fakes following close in the mist. All 3 aimed a punch at him again. If he used the wind gusher again, she now knew the strength of its force so she could come up with a suitable comeback. Surely enough, Naruto called out, **"Wind gusher!"** However somehow it was stronger then before and it forced her back enough to blow her out of the mist and hit the wall of the preliminary stage with a thud. Naruto hearing the thud rushed out of the mist toward the girl against the wall. Sakura looked toward Naruto as the now shirtless boy charged out of the mist toward her.

Hinata thought the fight seemed much more interesting now.

Sakura pulled herself out of the crevice in the wall quickly, realizing that he had taken off his shirt to increase the power of the jutsu. However she was too late as Naruto drove his fist deep into her stomach.

"Gaaah!" She screamed in pain and coughed up blood. As Naruto retracted his hand the mist cleared up and she fell to her knees.

Hayate was at Sakura's side to check her condition. Nodding slightly to no one he stood up and lifted his arm a he spoke. "Sakura Haruno can no longer carry on this fight. Therefore the winner is Naruto Uzumaki."

Sasuke smirked. "Good work Naruto." He said calmly. Naruto heard this and gave his team a thumbs up. Grabbing his black T-shirt he walked up the stairs and to Hinata's dismay, she handed him his orange jacket. However she was delighted when he tossed them both on the floor nearby.

"It's kinda hot in here and I'm sweating. I'm not putting on another layer."

Hinata smiled with delight. Not even ashamed how much she enjoyed his naked chest. "Oh…ok" She said trying not to sound too happy. Naruto noticed her strange tone however.

"What's wrong? You don't want me shirtless next to ya or something?" He joked. Hinata shook her head slowly.

"N-no…It's fine."

Naruto winked at her teasingly. "Oh so you like me without a shirt on huh?"

Hinata blushed a deep crimson. _'YES!'_ She thought with a 'shout'

"I never said…I…no it's…well yes but…uhh…" Hinata stammered horribly but Naruto merely laughed.

"Ahh don't worry Hinata-chan. I'm just teasing." Naruto told her as he rested on the side railed supported by his arms. But when his arms touched the bar he hissed with pain.

"Tssss ow man that hurts." Naruto complained holding his arm with his other good arm. "Must have got it when I blocked Sakura's hit with my arm…" Hinata got a twinkle in her eye.

"Wait Naruto, I have ointment…" Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the ointment and rubbed the white cream on Naruto arm lessening the pain. Hinata exhaled softly in pleasure of touching his arm while he was shirtless but it was unnoticed. Naruto smiled at her kindness.

"Thanks Hinata-chan, this stuff really helps." Hinata only smiled back at him and continued applying the cream. Naruto remembered the first time he'd seen that container when he'd seen her at the hospital. Then his mind wandered to the last time he had remembered that moment in the hospital which was in the forest of death. Remembering how he and Hinata had almost kissed, he turned his head slightly and blushed.H

Yes, it was indeed interesting how the human mind worked.

"Naruto-kun? Are you…ok?" She paused as he looked away. Naruto looked back immediately worried if she thought he was in discomfort. Waving his hand sheepishly he replied, "No no, it's fine really." He finished with a smile. Hinata only smiled back softly.

Ino laughed softly, too softly for the two to hear. "Oh man…this is painful to watch." She replied when Shikamaru interjected.

"Eh? What is?" He asked with not much interest. He received a smack on his head for not paying attention and his short attention span.

"Look!" She sighed harshly as she pointed to Naruto and Hinata and the lazy boy…lazily followed her hand with his eyes. His gaze settled upon the two as Hinata rubbed ointment on his arm and they both smiled to each other.

"What about them?" He asked with boredom. Ino exasperatedly sighed.

"She's _**so**_ into him! Can't you tell?" She exclaimed. Shikamaru sighed.

"So what if she is? Your just happy because something gossip worthy's come up."

Ino gaped before crossing her arms with a huff. "You're no fun Shikamaru!" But she smiled at the strange chemistry she had with her team mate.

After Sakura had been carried off by medic ninja for extra examination, Hayate raised his hand to show he wished for the attention of the ninja present in the room.

"Alright, now we will see the next two battle contenders on the screen now."

The genin watched with anticipation as the names randomly scrolled and soon enough, they stopped.

Rock Lee versus Temari

"Would these two contestants please step out onto the battle field."

Kankuro looked toward the genin clad in green. "HIM? He dresses like a freak." But Gaara noted a fierce look in the green genin's eyes that Temari or Kankuro could not see.

"Do not underestimate him Kankuro…he seems strong."

Temari and Lee had already made it below and were gazing into the others… gaze with determination. Rock Lee gave a thumbs up to his opponent.

"May the best ninja win!" Temari only shuttered at his hideous wink.

'_Urrg…what a freak.'_

Nevertheless, she took her own battle stance drawing her giant fan. "Don't worry, she will." She replied with a smirk.

Back in the stall, the ninja watched with anticipation. "A fan? What's she gonna do with a fan?" Naruto asked in bewilderment. Sasuke shrugged. At this point Neji intervened since their sensei's were so close to the other, and decided to jump in.

"It's not just a fan. It's a chakra fan. It's mainly used to enable the use of a jutsu called 'Wind scythe jutsu.' Its wind that it creates is also so powerful it can blow away even large people and thrown weapons. So this might pose a problem for Lee."

"You mean the guy with bushy brows?" Naruto asked and Neji nodded. Hinata was still a bit uncomfortable with Neji so close to her team, but her team seemed to get along with him easily since they all shared a cool, calming demeanor. Hinata felt a bit left out. She wasn't cool or calming, she was more shy then anything.

"Wouldn't he be able to use a jutsu from afar where the wind might not be as effective?" Sasuke questioned. But this time Guy shook his head.

"Lee…has no capabilities in the art of Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. For you see, Lee was not born a ninja and his chakra coils are far too small. He cannot morph his chakra at all, so he had to become a master of tai-jutsu to make up for this. If Lee can manage to get close to that sand ninja, I doubt she can withstand his assault. But in the meantime he's going to have a lot of trouble."

Reaching over the stand he shouted. "Lee! Show everyone the power of the flames of youth!"

"Yosh!"

Tenten sweat dropped.

Hayate raised his hand in preparation for the match as all people in the area went silent. "Temari versus Rock Lee begin now!"

Unlike what Naruto had done at the beginning of his match and bolted at his chance as the match began, Lee and Temari stared calmly at the opponent. Temari who had her hand on her fan, opened it slightly and an audible '_click_' resounded in the area. And at this small noise, the two combatants bolted at each other.

Temari gasped at his high speed, but being a well calculated ninja, bolted back before he aimed a punch and opened her fan slightly, and blew a large gust of air. Lee attempted to hold his ground to the wind until he felt something sharp slash his arm. Focusing on the wind yet to reach him, he could make out clear grey like crescent moon shaped impressions in the wind. Lee moved out of the way and rushed toward Temari from the side. Temari attempted to change her fans direction but Lee was far too quick and was upon her in a moment. Aiming a punch to her stomach he inwardly cheered at the contact and continued his assault. However after a few well aimed punches Temari suddenly blocked with the metal end of her fan and reached for her pocket and pulled out a small sphere of with a tipped flame at the end and threw it toward the green genin as she glided back away from him. As the ball reached the genin, it exploded on contact sending him flying backwards.

'_A pocket bomb?' _Lee wondered. He actually had never seen such a small handy device.

As Lee got up Temari was on him in a moment. Tucking low so that his body was above her, she swung her fan upward sending the green genin up in the air. She jumped up after the boy. But even after such a beetling, Lee gained his bearings in mid-air as she neared him about to sway her fan again. She wasn't able to see Lee was waiting for her to come a bit closer. As she did come closer, she swung her fan but Lee suddenly changed position, grabbing her fan before she opened it fully, and twisted himself in midair to spin.

"**Leaf Whirlwind!"** Kicking her in the face brutally and then adding a second kick to her stomach even more harshly, she was sent flying towards the ground. Temari gathered herself and opened her fan sitting on it to glide to the ground fairly and smoothly, while Lee softly landed on the ground in his erected pose with the back of his hand facing Temari who had just landed.

Back at the stands, the genin were astonished at this incredible speed of Rock Lee.

"Whoa! Did you see that! He's so fast!" Ino exclaimed in surprise. "Makes you wonder how a freaky looking dork could be so strong." But Guy interjected.

"Why that young Ino, is the power of the flames of youth! That is not even the top speed of Rock Lee! No, not even close." Earning an audible gasp from most of the genin. Kakashi however became worried.

"Guy…you didn't teach Rock Lee how to open the eight inner gates did you?" Guy only smiled.

"Yosh! I sure did, he can open up to 5 of them as he is now."

"What were you thinking teaching that to someone so young!"

Chouji turned to Asuma in question. "Sensei, what are the eight gates?"

At this, Might guy and Kakashi stopped bickering and turned to the boy. "The eight gates is a special place inside a person's chakra system that puts a cap on a persons maximum chakra reserves. They actually weaken a person, but saves their body from deteriorating too quickly. By being able to open these gates, chakra enhances your body to unimaginable levels, allowing you to be extremely powerful." Kakashi tutored. But when he saw a glimpse in the young genins eyes, he shook his head.

"Don't even think about trying to learn how to do this. The eight gates come with a price. Immense pain is felt while using even the first gate. The eight gates deteriorate the persons body while in use. Only people with the strongest bodies are able to withstand such punishment. And even so, usage of the final gate, gate of death, while enabling you to become more powerful then the Hokage, will almost instantaneously kill you after minutes."

Guy smiled brightly, showing off his white teeth spectacularly. "Only I, Might Guy can withstand such punishment. But with Lee being only a specialist in tai-jutsu, his body was almost instantly prepped for the gates."

Hinata's eyes softened when she thought back to the hospital where Hinata first hugged Naruto. She remembered bumping into his rock hard chest. She was sure a body like that could withstand punishments of at least one gate…right? She blushed as she scolded herself for thinking of Naruto that way. But she looked toward Naruto's naked chest again. And wondered again if maybe he could handle it. Although she might have used that as an excuse to make another peak.

Back at the battle ring Temari scowled in pain. If she had hit the floor that would have done some serious damage. Temari reached for her fan opening it quickly in fear hat the green ninja would approach her too quickly. When she saw that Lee had not moved despite her opening her fan all the way, she quickly devised what his strategy might be.

'_The kid knows that despite his speed, I can block faster then he can approach. He waits for me to start swinging my fan so he can interrupt when I'm not preparing to guard myself mid-attack. The best bet I have is to catch him off his guard…And I think I know how.'_

Deciding her tactic, she moved to swing her fan. And as planed the green genin moved in for the kill. However, she laced her arm with chakra to increase the speed of her swing and Lee was hit with a large gust of wind that did not blow him backwards, but upwards like a tornado.

Temari jumped upward so that her body was level with his in the tornado.

"Take this!" She yelled as she grabbed her fan, lacing it with chakra and power, called out.

"**Rumbling fan wind wall!"** The attack tore through the existing tornado and pummeled Lee with force sending him even higher up. Swaying her fan beneath her, she was sent higher up by being propelled with her fan, and was leveled with the green genin again just below the ceiling. Turning herself upside down, she used her chakra to stick to the ceiling by her feet so that she was now just above him.

"Perfect!" She yelled. **"Wind scythe jutsu!"** The close position of her strike along with the large chakra enhanced winds sent Lee cruising to the floor at tremendous speeds all the while slashing at his skin.

As Rock Lee hit the floor debris and rubble thrashed outward, causing many gasps.

"Lee!" Tenten called with worry. Hinata, who had been following the battle with his Byakugan spoke. "She is strong…but I think Lee might still be able to fight." She said studying the body underneath the rubble.

Most of the watchers could not see the boy due to the large cloud of smoke and dust that covered the area that he lay in. Meanwhile, Lee's will to fight was breaking.

'_Urrg…she could move her arms just as fast as myself with her chakra…once again ninja with chakra can best me…is it truly fate that allows someone to triumph? Is…Is Neji right?'_

Such thoughts banished from the genins mind as he clenched his fist angrily.

'_No! It won't end like this…because…'_

His train of thought ended as he stood slowly. The cloud around him had yet to dissipate. He wasn't sure if she could see him, but Lee could make out the shadowy silhouette of Temari. Grabbing hold of his weights he dethatched them from his legs.

Back in the stands Neji had shut off his Byakugan mere second before Lee had stood up. Believing Lee had been knocked out he closed his eyes in contemplation. Most of the genin watched Neji for an answer. As he re-opened his eyes, he spoke. "It is how destiny has made it to be. Lee won't be getting up." He said calmly. Tenten sighed sadly and Guy put his hands together to pray. Temari let herself feel safe as nothing had happened yet.

The proctor nodded to himself. But before he could speak, two white objects flew out of the smoky cloud straight for Temari. She was able to duck just before they hit her. They hit the wall with a loud crash behind her. As Temari looked behind her to the two large indents in the wall she gasped softly.

"What! Their….leg weights!" She gasped out. From the large craters in the wall… they must have been very heavy. Craning her head back toward the smoke, Lee darted out at speeds she could not track herself and kicked her in the face harshly sending her back. But before she hit the wall he was behind her. He let loose a fury of punches at her, all the while she screamed and yelped with each hit. He sent a punch upward to her chin so hard it sent her cruising upwards a few feet.

However his assault was not finished as he darted upwards, spinning like a drill with his hands at his side. He mashed his head into her stomach still spinning, sending the both of the farther upward. He stopped spinning and brought his leg up to strike.

"**Leaf Burning Sky!"** Kicking her hard while he was now above her, sent her down into the ground. Now it was Temari's turn to be trapped under the rubble and a large torrent of smoke. Lee landed safely a few dozen meters away.

"Yah! Lee you rock!" Tenten cheered for her team mate and Neji was flabbergasted at his strength. Naruto smirked remembering what Neji said about Lee's destiny when it looked like he had been struck down.

"What were you saying about destiny Neji? I remember Hinata told me you said the same thing about her. But it doesn't look like Lee's losing to me!" He cheered but Neji sneered slightly. After a few moments Neji calmed down and though to himself. He loathed admitting it, but Naruto was right. It was supposed to be Lee's destiny to never become a ninja was it not? Naruto's voice rang out again.

"Maybe destiny does exist…but who's to say what will happen right? Maybe destiny doesn't chose what happens to us itself. Perhaps destiny just gives us the power to change who we are. Maybe destiny chooses to help us, not bind us. We just have to realize it first." Speaking more to himself than others. He was remembering how he felt it was his destiny to die at the hands of Mizuki when he was betrayed. But Naruto took Mizuki down himself. He had taken charge of his destiny. If it had truly been his destiny to die, Hinata would have not been there to save him.

Kakashi's eye crinkled slightly in interest at Naruto's sudden burst of wisdom. Tilting his head slightly he commented, "That's…very insightful of you Naruto. I'm impressed." But Naruto hadn't answered him; he was too absorbed in his thoughts. Suddenly he turned to Neji.

"Neji, people can change destiny. In fact, destiny probably doesn't even exist… Have you heard the story of what happened between me and Mizuki?" He asked. Neji nodded.

"Yes…the whole village had gone into a panic when the scroll had gone missing."

"Well…Mizuki almost killed me. Then I thought myself also, that maybe it was fate…that I would die by his hand. But I didn't. I took charge of my fate and my destiny. I took it by the horns and I told it to go fuck itself."

Kakashi lightly snorted at Naruto's intellectual lesson and reasoning, and yet still describe himself goofily.

"I killed Mizuki myself. But even then, if it had been my destiny to die, I wouldn't have made it out alive. Hinata changed my destiny by saving me." He looked toward Hinata and gave a heartfelt smile as she blushed profusely.

As Naruto looked away and smiled at Hinata, Neji looked back toward the battle ground where Lee stood. Was it all…true?

Suddenly, grasping everyone's attention the large cloud of dust Temari was encompassed in began to move in a circular pattern. Soon it became a dust like Tornado, kicking up the large boulders and rocks witch got caught in the fierce wind. The tornado moved upwards slightly revealing Temari below it, spinning her fan above her in circular motions to keep the tornado present. She was unbelievably battered and bruised but she refused to back down. With a fierce look she cried out.

"This isn't over!" She swung her fan sending the large tornado to Lee. "**Rumbling Scythe Wall!"** She called her combined version of Rumbling fan wind wall and Wind Scythe jutsu.

Lee narrowed his eyes in focused. Flexing all the muscled in his body, he focused on his inner powers. With a shout he called out.

"**Gate of Opening! Gate of rest! Open!"** He opened both the gates. The second gate healed most of the wounds earlier caused by the wind mistress.

With the new upgrade of power given to Lee, he charged at the tornado.

"**Leaf Huricane!" **Lee's body now became the impression of a flying spinning top, tearing through the grey tornado like hot butter. He laded after tearing through the tornado and Temari gasped at the speed and ease he did it at.

"**DYNAMIC ENTRY!" **He yelled as he kicked Temari in the face sending her flying back, but his body followed hers. Soon Temari's head was sandwiched between Lee's foot and the back wall harshly, forcing her into unconsciousness.

Hayate was beside Temari checking her state.

"Heh…what's with people and slamming their opponents into the wall?" He muttered recalling how Naruto had taken out Sakura earlier.

"But…the winner is Rock Lee!" He announced, receiving much cheer from the people watching. As he made it up the stairs he was bombarded by questions and comments. Mainly Naruto, Ino and Tenten though. Hinata chuckled slightly at the sight. Neji stood beside her.

"I guess he was right…" He muttered. Hinata looked at him questionably.

"What do you mean Neji?"

Neji closed his eyes in wonder, but still spoke. "I guess destinies can be changed…And even if they can't, who am I to say that I know what will happen?" He trailed off. Then he looked towards Hinata with sorrow filled eyes.

"I'm…sorry the way I treated you Hinata…" He apologized but Hinata was shocked and happy.

"It's alright Neji…"

"No its not!" He argued more sternly. "Allow me to make it up to you. I'll help you learn how to use the gentle fist better. And how to use the Rotation and 64 palms technique. I'll-"

"No…that's fine. I've already learned the Rotation and my gentle fist has improved already. I've also been working on a variation of the 64 palms already… I've only had time to practice it during the last week of training but I need more practice before I can use it. It's a cross between rotation and 64 palms. It blocks and repels attacks and also seals the chakra points at once. The only weakness it has that the true 64 palms doesn't carry is that I can't move, I must be in one spot, like the standard rotation."

Neji was dumbfounded at her progress and her understanding of the techniques.

"I'm…impressed with your initiative."

"It's all for one thing…one thing make me strive to be as good as I can be."

"And what is that?"

Hinata looked toward Naruto as he happily spoke to Lee about his victory. She blushed slightly and was unable to answer for a moment. But Neji smirked.

"Heh…I see." Hinata blushed again when she noticed that he realized it.

"And now!" Hayate announced. "The next two fighters shall be displayed on the screen now!"

Shino Aburame versus Chouji Akamichi

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**Hey all sorry that this chapter is a little short. I felt I needed to delay the chapters bit by bit so that the chuunin exams finals wouldn't e revealed too quickly. My chapters will in fact be shorter until the end of preliminaries. But in compromise my chapters will release much quicker. After all fights/chapters are over, I shall morph them into one chapter. It is just for delay so that the contest would have more meaning.**

**Please leave your review and comments below and im sorry if you guys might have an issue with this and I hope you see it from my prospective.**

**I Can't wait for Ultimate ninja storm 2 O_O**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok guys, its been a while and I can go on and on about why this came late. But I'll just keep quiet about that.**

_**IMPORTANT! READ THIS BEFORE READING STORY!**_

**This story chapter is going to be a little different then regularly. It's going to feature Naruto as a young child and how he first meets Sasuke, Hinata, and even Hiashi**

**Interested? Then read and hopefully enjoy.**

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Young Naruto sat alone in the sandbox. He'd been playing by himself for hours and no one had come over to play with him. He looked enviously at the other children. Playing happily with their friends and family. Naruto looked at his lone hands, holding only a bucket and a shovel.

These shovels were too small for him now. He'd only been given one pair by the orphanage and whenever he asked for a new one-they'd deny his wishes.

It couldn't have hurt his feelings more to see them give another child a new bucket and shovel so easily and without argument.

He didn't understand why they all treated him so harshly. He never did anything wrong. Just a harmless prank here and there. But everyone did that. Naruto really didn't like pranks- he only did them to try and fit in. But as people started to notice him less-he started doing pranks as retaliation. When they got what was coming for them he was filled with a darkly happiness. Still, he didn't believe his small pranks-witch also done by other children- was reason enough to be so cruel.

Naruto had always been a nice person. He always tried to make friends and offered to help the other kids and care takers. But they would have none of it.

Naruto begun building with the sandbox again.

"I'll just…make my own friend!"

It took Naruto quite a while to build a human shaped sand object. The more closer he got to finishing, the more hopeless it seemed. It seemed less and less like a person with each building clump of sand he added. However when he finished he was slightly happy.

"I'll name you Sandy!" He exclaimed excitedly to no one. However he wasn't finished. He still needed to add facial features!

Happily bring his finger up, he poked an eye into the Sandy's head.

At his simple poke his friend Sandy collapsed into nothing.

Naruto had reached out to the sand, grabbing a clump that used to be Sandy. He started to tremble and his face twitched with sadness. His eyes started watering as his head bent down in helplessness and soon he started to cry.

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Naruto begun to walk through the lonely streets, tears still adorned his small face. No one had comforted him when he was crying and it only made him feel worse.

In his daze he didn't notice another boy in front of him and bumped into him, falling onto his rear. The boy looked toward Naruto and offered a hand to help him up but Naruto flinched away violently.

"Don't hit me _**please!"**_

This confused the other boy. "What's wrong? I was only helping you up."

Naruto moved his hands away from his face and looked at the boy between the crevices in his fingers. He didn't recognize the boy. He must have not been from the orphanage. Reluctantly, Naruto took the boys hand and hefted himself up.

"Why did you think I was going to hit you?" The boy asked. Naruto frowned.

"Everyone does…"

"Well that's not very nice. Why would anyone hit someone that looked so scared?"

Naruto shugged. This boy seemed nice enough…

"I've never seen you before. Are you new around here"? The boy asked. Naruto shook his head.

"No…I'm never outside since I live at an orphanage. But they left me behind and I have to go back by myself." He frowned again- another thing they never did to other students.

"That's sucks." The other boy could only say.

"My names Sasuke. What about you"?

Naruto blushed in embarrassment. No one had…talked to him this much.

"N…Naruto."

"That's a cool name." He replied, pulling out a plastic kunai painted blue.

"You wanna play ninja with me?" Sasuke asked genuinely.

Naruto raised a brow in confusion.

"Ninja? What's that?"

Sasuke's eyes widened more then necessary. "Only the coolest people on earth! There super cool fighters! I'm gonna be a ninja one day!" Sasuke exclaimed excitedly. This all excited Naruto.

"Really? Cool! I wanna be a ninja too!" If he could be a ninja, maybe he could hurt the orphanage people back now!

Sasuke started walking off. Urging Naruto to follow. "Lets play then!"

Naruto smiled as he jogged behind. But as a burst of realization hit him his smile immediately faltered.

"But…I don't have a pointy thing like you…" He whispered as his eyes watered. Did that mean he couldn't play with Sasuke now?

Sasuke didn't seem to mind all that much "That's ok; you can buy one at a store for like 5 ryo."

There was a twinkle in Naruto's eyes. "Really? Will you be here tomorrow?"

"Sure, I'm here everyday around this time with my mom." Sasuke replied.

"Sassuke!" A woman called. Sasuke looked and saw it was his mother. "time to go home!"

Sasuke jugged off waving to Naruto. "Bye Naruto! See you tomorrow."

"Bye Sasuke!" Naruto screamed. Happy as any boy would be. He was going to buy that kunai today!

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Naruto stepped inside the store, the large surrounding atmosphere intimidating the small boy a little bit. He was nervous; he never had to buy anything himself. And worse, he should have been back at the orphanage by now. Deciding they probably hadn't noticed anyway, he marched himself into the toy isle.

He looked and looked and looked. He never could understand how things were placed. Some things were so high he couldn't reach. But soon he found a large assortment of plastic kunai. All colored differently. He stopped at his favorite color-orange. He picked it up and looked for a price tag.

=5 ryo= Just as Sasuke had told him.

Naruto put his hand in his pocket, counting his coins. 8 ryo, he had enough. Taking the kunai to the counter he placed his money and gave it to the cashier.

"30 Ryo please."

Naruto frowned. "But…it says 5 ryo on the kunai." Naruto's eyes started to water, he could almost see where this was headed.

"Yeah, for normal people! Your just a freak- come back when you have enough money!" The cashier screamed.

Naruto walked off with his head hanging low. He'd hoped it was only the orphanage who treated him bad. What did he ever do so wrong?

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It was nearing nighttime and Naruto was still walking to the orphanage. It was unnaturally far away from the park and some how the way just seemed longer on his own.

"Now Sasuke won't want to play with me because I don't have a kunai…" He sighed with remorse. The orphanage didn't have any money. And when Naruto remember the feeling he had when 'Sandy' had collapsed, he couldn't bear to lose a real friend who hasn't collapsed yet.

He saw a man walking through an alleyway; he was wearing a long robe and had equally clean long hair. Piercing white eyes completed the package of this formal man. Naruto's eyes softened. He looked like he had money, but he doubted he would give him any.

Naruto's eyes sharpened when a new idea came to mind. Something bad…

He charged for the dark alleyway and dashed for the mans back pocket where his wallet might have been. However suddenly the man was behind him, with a firmer then average grasp on his arm.

The light of the moon reflected off of the mans face, giving him the pure look of terror. Naruto trembled.

"Boy, why did you try to rob me!" He roared.

Naruto's face shook shakily as he tried to get out of it. "I-I wasn't trying to rob you I swear!"

"You lie!" The man whispered harshly, tightening his grip on the small boy. "tell me, if I let you go, will you run away?"

Naruto being so frightened only nodded.

The man sighed. "Then you're coming with me." At this Naruto shook his head like mad. "N-No! Where are you taking me?" The orphanage? Jail? Would he take him somewhere secluded and hit him?

"My home."

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Naruto was dragged behind the large sliding doors of this huge place. He expected the worse. He expected to be hit, he expected…

"Now, how long has it been since you washed your face?"

Naruto's eyes widened. He never realized he had dried tears, sand and dirt rummaged into his cheeks.

"I…I don't remember."

"Filthy". The man muttered. "Let's get you cleaned up, use the sink if you wish. I'll be right back." The main calmly stalked out of the room. Naruto couldn't have been more confused. He proceeded to wash his face, his eyes never leaving the open door. However any thoughts of leaving vanished when the man returned and closed the door. He was carrying with him a bowl of soup and a glass of green tea.

"Come. Sit." He ordered. And Naruto could only comply nervously. Naruto looked at the soup bowl, un-moving.

"Are you not hungry child? Is that not why you tried to rob me? For food?" He questioned.

"Why are you being so nice to me after what I did?" He muttered. And the man took a seat beside him with only a glass of tea for himself.

"I would sit here and tell you that you should have never done what you did. I could have just killed you and shoved you off. I could have told you I'd never once tried to steal another's belongings, however I cannot do so because then I would be lying."

Naruto's eyes widened. This man seemed rich, why would he need to rob anyone.

I didn't try to rob someone, but I still tried to take something of theirs that wasn't mine, witch is just as bad. The fact that of all people, you tried to rob ME, is what I find amusing. Do you know who I am?"

Naruto shook his head.

"My name is Hiashi hyuuga. I run a prestiged clan. Now boy, what is your name?"

The boy looked down at his soup and humbly took a sip. "Naruto."

'_THE Naruto? I never realized it was him. Many say he is a demon, but he looks more scared of other people then anything. Witch reminds me…'_

"Now, why did you try to rob me, if not for food?"

Naruto was nervous, another person who was talking to him so much, it was almost too much. "I made my first friend and I didn't have money to buy a toy that he had. Well I did but the guy made me pay more money for no reason…"

'_Society is implementing bad behavior to him specifically it seems. For the Kyuubi sealed within his navel?'_

"What did you want to buy?"

"A plastic kunai…"

Hiashi put a hand on his chin in deep thought. Coming to a conclusion he smiled.

"Wait here, I have something I'd like to give you." Hiashi stood from the table and stalked off to the second floor.

It was suddenly too quite for the small boys liking. He was uncomfortable when Hiashi talked to him a lot, but now he was in an awkward silence. He took a taste of his tea, but it was a little bitter for his tastes.

Soon a small girl with blue hair walked into the room, looking for a late night drink of water. When she saw Naruto, she stopped.

"What are you doing here? The hyuuga estate is closed for visitors after 8:00pm." She exclaimed, normally as ever, as if by routine.

"Hiashi brought me here." Naruto exclaimed softly. He said he was going to give me a present. What's your name?" Naruto asked genuinely. He was getting a bit used to this now.

She blushed as she spoke. He was kinda cute. "Hinata." She smiled and out stretched the back of her hand toward Naruto. Naruto was confused.

"Huh? What do you want me to do?"

The petite girl giggled. "I'm a princess, so everyone has to take my hand and kiss the back of it."

Naruto blushed. "Kiss your hand? Princess?" He really didn't know anything about high clan formality.

"Father says I'm the princess of the clan. So people always do that because that's what people do to princesses when they say hello." She said calmly as ever.

Naruto smiled sheepishly. He took her hand and kissed it. Then immediately dropped it in embarrassment and scratched the back of his head.

Hiashi watched on from the end of the hallway with amusement. He'd been watching since they introduced.

"Well Naruto, it seems you've taken a liking to my daughter." He chuckled and the two blushed. "Not to worry, kissing the princess of the family on the hand is strictly formal. Anyway, I have a small gift for you."

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a grey kunai. A Real grey kunai.

"They give you your own at the academy, witch is where people train to become ninja. This was the kunai they gave me when I started out. I'd like you to have it."

He handed Naruto the kunai engraved 'H.H' on the blade. Naruto was ecstatic to the point where he happily grabbed the kunai gasping.

"Thank you!" He yelled. Probably waking one of the sleeping hyuuga in the next room.

"It would be quite nice if you went to the academy when your older, perhaps you will end up in the same class as Hinata."

"Definatly!" He exclaimed happily.

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The next day, Naruto waited for Sasuke in the hopes that he would brag about his new and REAL kunai. But Sasuke wasn't there.

He'd heard Sasuke's family had died from a murder scene. And probably couldn't make it. Naruto never had the chance to visit Hiashi or Hinata, and he'd never seen Sasuke since that major event took place.

Naruto finally turned 10 and his only true care taker-the Hokage- had enrolled him into the academy when he heard Naruto wanted to be a ninja upon his visit to the orphanage. Naruto had his own apartment now. And on his first day at the academy, he was excited to see Sasuke and Hinata. However Sasuke had grown cold and distant and Hinata had shied away and refused to look him in the eye.

Why, he didn't know.

However Naruto got used to his new environment and slowly begun to look at them like regular students in a regular school. And this, is where Naruto's story truly began.

**I truly hope you guys enjoyed my returning chapter, tell me what you think, and again I hope you enjoyed. And the Chuunin exams segment will resume in the next chapter.**

**Byez!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! I'm back with another chappie, I hope you enjoy these fights I've put together. A lot of people were surprised with how powerful I made Sakura in her match with Naruto. Well if Sakura had the same strength as she did in the anime in this point, she would be wiped off the field in moments.**

**I didn't want to do that because I didn't want to deliver my battles as lazy and overly quick. I needed to make Naruto at least struggle, it woulnd't be fun if he just beet her in a second. I made these match ups to try and make the battles even in terms of power. This would make the battles fun to read. However, while people were surprised at Sakura's strength, they were indefinitely pleased with the fight, so thank you everyone.**

**Now in this chapter, you may notice the characters are a bit OC. The reason I did this was because I wasn't pleased with how kishi developed their personas and not really explained it. Only going into details with more major characters such as Naruto and Sasuke. For Instance, when Shino is introduced, he just suddenly has the motto 'Never underestimate my opponent, no matter how much of a bug he is'.**

**Uh-uh, I'm not satisfied with that. I wanted to know why he adopted that persona. Also with others too. So alongside people having their battles, this chapter goes into how characters develop their…well-characteristics. **

**I know I'm doing a lot of strange changed in comparison to kishi. While most people use a specific part of the story and morph it to their liking. I'm totally working it all from scratch. In fact im pretty much trying to make a new "Naruto" show-if you will.**

**Now, doesn't mean I'm saying I own Naruto. I'm just saying that I'm trying to write my story to be better all around. **

**Well lets go.**

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The room remained impassive and silent as the two combatants hit the ring.

"Yeah Chouji! Kick his ass!" Ino cheered loudly.

Naruto turned to Sasuke. "So, who your money on Sasuke?"

Sasuke closed his eyes calmly to consider it. But remember the matchup it wasn't long before he answered. "I think Shino might win. He just seems calmer. I don't really know their powers but…it just seems that way for me."

Naruto nodded. He agreed.

Hayate raised his hand in the air, just as normally as ever. "Shino Aburame versus Chouji Akamichi. Begin!"

Chouji was almost scared to attack Shino. Shino looked at him with a calm unnerving stare. Studying him, watching him, testing him. Chouji started to notice an ever growing cloud of purple above Shino.

"_Bugs?"_ Chouji thought with wonder. Soon the bugs rushed toward Chouji with a simple raise of Shino's arms.

"_**I worry for Chouji, he has never won a match in his ninja career."**_

Remembering his father's words as he spoke to the academy teacher, Chouji's eyes focused with a narrowed determination.

The Bugs continued on their slow march toward him. Suddenly, they picked up speed. However, Chouji was in touch with his inner ninja. With the speed that no one expected of the large boy, he leaped over the river of bugs. Descending toward Shino.

"**Human…**" Chouji called calmly, gathering his chakra in more sharper bursts then what he was used to.

"**BOULDER!**" Soon he became a large mass and rained down on Shino. The boy of bugs gasped, but his reflexes kicked in as he created a substitution. Chouji collided with the floor, causing a short tremor within the room.

Shino landed calmly on the other side of the room from his substitution. He watched as the human bullet created a fissure. Shino waited for the opportune moment to begin another assault.

Soon enough, Chouji's spinning velocity began to shorten. Shino didn't wait for him to finish and struck as soon as the spinning started to lessen. He raised both hands forward, standing on the end of the fissure Chouji created. Surely enough, a haze of bugs unleashed from his sleeves in a fan array-engulfing Chouji.

"Chouji!" Ino called with worry as the bugs encompassed Chouji to the point he was no longer visible, sapping his chakra.

"Powerful technique, but used in a hazed rush." Shino judged calmly as he watched the bugs feed. Shino expected Chouji to be down and out for good.

"**Expansion jutsu!" **Chouji called from the mass of bugs. His sudden change in size effectively shook off all the bugs. Then, once again gathered chakra into his chest. Shino only took one step back. If Chouji used human boulder, Shino could effectively dodge the human ball. The Jutsu was strong, but slow.

However, Chouji used something different. With hurried hand signs, he called.

"**Wind Style: Air Bullets!"** Soon an impossibly large ball of air flew quickly from Chouji toward Shino, catching the boy off guard. The wind bullet pushed Shino toward the other side of the room with a thud. However, 2 more bullets rushed toward him, pushing Shino further into the wall.

The bugs receded and returned to Shino for their next order. And Chouji righted himself, calling off his expansion.

'_He hit me…He hit me because I underestimated him. I promise you, my cherished bugs, I will never underestimate an opponent again!'_

Shino pulled himself from the rubble. Everyone suspected Chouji to go down easily. But he didn't. That's what got to Shino. He allowed himself to become so shallow.

Shino narrowed his eyebrows angrily, but with focus. Chouji lowered himself crouching, ready to evade his bugs. Shino was unmoving, but he was planning, and oh how he planned.

A sputter of insects flew quickly out of Shino rushing for Chouji. Chouji rolled out of the way, charging toward Shino. Shino ran straight back toward the Akimichi. This caught the boy off guard, but he righted himself and punched Shino.

However, Shino erupted into a flurry of bugs in front of Chouji, quickly engulfing him.

"**Expansion jutsu!"** And again, the bugs flew off of the large mass of muscle and fat. However, Shino was no where to be seen. He called off his expansion and quickly moved away from the bugs headed toward him. But he was interrupted by a harsh kick to his side, knocking him over.

Shino stood over him, ordering his bugs to feed once more. Suspense drew forth from the crowd as Chouji lay unmoving, and the bugs slowly making their way toward the boy.

'_This is all I've got left.'_ Chouji thought to himself. He gathered a large amount of chakra in his chest again.

"**Wind style: Air Bullets!"** He pointed the bullet to the ground, propelling him up. Shino was surprised once more, but this time he would be ready. Once again, Chouji readied his hand signs.

"**Wind Style: Air Bullets!"**

This time a larger than regular bullet flew forth from the boy's mouth. Shino took a step back as the ball of wind came crashing down.

"Bugs!" He called simply; the bugs receded back to Shino quickly since they were already close by. Shino jumped toward the ledges where the onlookers of the match watched. He moved to the underside of the ledge and used chakra to still himself upside down. The ledge protected him and his bugs from any further damage of the winds.

Soon the winds died, and Chouji landed on his feet. He was surprised he still had so much energy inside him. His joy was short lived when he noticed Shino running toward him.

Shino aimed a punch to the boy, who in turn blocked. Shino kicked and punched more, his punches were too fast for Chouji to dodge and was force to block.

"Now!" Shino called as he aimed a punch. This time bugs encompassed his arm as it flew toward Chouji. Chouji thought quickly.

"**Expansion jutsu!"** He grew into a large mass aiming to block the punch and bugs, but Shino stepped back himself.

Chouji receded from his large mass once more. Huffing and puffing. This was turned into a battle of reflexes. Focus, wits, cleverness. One wrong move and it was over.

Chouji started to worry at this point however. He had displayed all jutsu to Shino that he could use. Shino had not used one yet. He furrowed his eyes. He was going to lose focus if he dwelled on such things.

Shino charged for Chouji again. Chouji sidestepped away from the approaching assault. Soon Shino split up into 5 copies.

'_Must be bugs clones, like before.'_

The clones circled tauntingly in sharp movements. Chouji suddenly felt like the world was circling him. Like the world focused into one point and looked at him like a camera.

"What's this weird…" Chouji started to feel nauseous and weak. His vision struggled. Why was this happening?

The Shino's in existence all faded into nothingness. And Shino released his bugs once more.

"You always need an ace up your sleeve, if you don't, then improvise with what you've got….**Nature Insect Mimic: Peril Bug Snake"!**

More bugs then Chouji remembered there being erupted from Shino. Each taking the form of 7 snake shapes. The first 2 rushed at Chouji. He jumped high to evade them, only to be assault by a third one overhead. The bug-snake wrapped around Chouji, but instead of sucking on his chakra, it acted as a physical rope. The 2 bug-snakes below rushed upward toward the falling and immobile boy. They leeched his chakra slowly, more focused on slowing Chouji's descent to the ground.

3 more bug-snakes rushed underneath Chouji.

"**Parasitic insects: Typhoon!"**

The 3 snakes began to circle, gaining more and more speed and spreading out like a tornado. The tornado moved higher up to meet the boy, causing physical damage and sucking more of the boys chakra out of his system. However, Shino knew Chouji might still be conscious, witch is why he made the extra bug-snake.

These assortment of bugs were special, they didn't suck on the chakra. They sucked the chakra through blood. He raised his arm to make the last snake charge.

"**Parasitic Insect: Pupa snake!"**

The last snake move up the typhoon, darkening the color and moving toward Chouji.

Back at the stands, Naruto scoffed.

"Why isn't Chouji fighting back? He was doing pretty well and now he's kinda just sitting there." He said with disappointment. Good strength gone to waste because he wanted to give up?

"No Naruto..it's genjutsu." Sasuke called, looking at the battle through the red eyes of the Sharingan. Hinata was using her Byakugan also. Naruto sighed loudly. This no bloodline thing was getting to him. "When did he use genjutsu?"

"It was around the time the Shino clones circled around Chouji. It wasn't bug clones or regular clones, it was a genjutsu focused specifically to deter Chouji's concentration." Kakashi explained.

Asuma turned to Kurenai. "You taught him genjutsu?"

Kurenai smiled. "Of course, I'm a genjutsu specialist-why wouldn't I teach all my students genjutsu? And YOU taught him wind style jutsu?" She taunted back playfully.

Asuma raised a brow. "As a matter of fact, I didn't. He must have learned it on his own spare time. The fact he knows how to use so well it also a surprise. At one point he used the extra space in his chest while using the expansion jutsu to increase the maximum amount of chakra he could channel for the Air bullets. The fact he can improvise on that so well…I never knew how independent he was, it's nothing short of genius.

Neji looked toward the large mass of insects continually making its way to the already troubled Chouji. "Little good that did him though." Naruto chuckled. It's like Neji could read his mind. Hinata looked on with worried eyes. She herself didn't have any genjutsu. They learned about it at the academy, but the only real genjutsu they were taught were transformation and clone.

"K-Kakashi sensie? There's something I don't understand. Shino's genjutsu broke Chouji's concentration, but when Sakura used the Madder Mist on Naruto, he didn't feel dizzy. Why did genjutsu effect Chouji and not Naruto-kun?" She asked.

Naruto raised a brow. "Good point."

"There are many types of genjutsu. However, like a tree, there are two main branches. Field effect, and the types that attack the opponent, called Conscious genjutsu. Field genjutsu effects the appearance and such parts of a location. Conscious genjutsu attacks the opponents 5 senses. For instance, Clone Jutsu is a field effect. It doesn't affect the opponent but the area around them.

The type of Genjutsu Sakura used on Naruto was a field effect; it tempered his vision but not directly. Shino used a conscious genjutsu, it attacked Chouji's brain and nervous system. The difference between the two types of Genjutsu is that field effect Genjutsu, while less harmful directly to the opponent, is harder to dispel then conscious genjutsu.

The reason for this is because Conscious genjutsu…well attacks someone's conscious. Therefore when they need to dispel it, they can focus chakra on just themselves and dispel, and the distortion in their nervous system and chakra networks are easier to detect also, because it is inside them.

Field genjutsu however is all around the opponent. It's harder to find the direct source, and since it's less hazardous to the person the genjutsu is being used on, it is less noticeable. Under most circumstances, people can dispel conscious genjutsu once noticed. However Shino took advantage of Chouji's tired state and use genjutsu that attack his ability to focus. Chouji was too tired to react before Shino started this type of assault." Kurenai exclaimed finally finishing her explanation.

Naruto noticed Hinata's state of worry. He sighed, he felt kind of bad that she was so innocent that she worried about everyone as much as she did. He chuckled mentally; he knew however that while she was caring for others, she was far from innocent in terms of fighting. Hinata had come a long way and was gaining more courage. It was a growing trait of hers he was beginning to admire, being a dark person, Naruto enjoyed being in the company of others who were also dark.

He always kept himself open to Hinata because she saved him from death. But now that she was getting stronger and more confident, he found the need to not just openly talk to her as a show of gratitude, but to actually get to know her more and interact.

He wouldn't admit it, but something about a dark, sinister type of Hinata appealed to Naruto greatly.

Naruto rubbed Hinata's back with his hand. She wasn't really there yet, and he found it in his nature as her teammate to comfort her in this state of worry.

"Don't worry Hinata, I'm sure Chouji will be fine, You're not allowed to kill people during these exams."

"Umm Naruto, while that's true, many deaths occur during exams, sometimes by accident, but mainly on purpose."

Naruto's eyebrow twitched and he gave off a chuckle. "I'm sure he'll be fine either way…hehe." Naruto laughed at his mistake of the rules. Hinata smiled, Naruto was trying to comfort her again. Not just the fact that in an odd way his comfort managed to work, but just the fact he wanted to make her feel better made her happy. Everyone returned their eyes towards the match. All were silent, even Ino.

Just as the mass of the last bug-snake reached Chouji, everyone was shocked to still hear Chouji's voice call out.

"**Expansion jutsu!"** The bugs were thwarted from Chouji and he landed on the ground with a thud. Chouji was prepared to rush, but his body started to succumb as he coughed blood. Asuma and his team were by his side, the match was over.

"I…I can keep going sensei…" Chouji called weakly. Asuma shook his head.

"Your mind can, but your body is done for. We need to get you into medical care."

Chouji looked down with shame. He tried his hardest, how was it when people give it their all and reach breaking point…it was unfair how the world around him didn't blink an eye.

"You did very well Chouji."

Chouji gasped and looked up toward his bearded master.

"Your thinking and techniques were great. Well timed. Plus learning jutsu on your own, I never expected such independence. However…you were being too independent. Independency is good, but you need to remember we're here to help"

"But…you guys wouldn't have taken me seriously if I told you I wanted to learn higher ranked jutsu…you guys might have thought I couldn't do it…"

Asuma smiled sadly, he knew of Chouji's past. It may not have been difficult in most cases, he was underestimated and was never really taken seriously.

"Then I'll make a promise. From now on, our team will always be there for one another. Be it at a celebration or anything. We'll be the most combined team ever to walk the planet…"

"Yeah!" Ino added. "you don't have to do everything on your own. You did awesome!"

"You've got nothing to be ashamed of Chouji. You just pushed yourself too hard."

Chouji smiled as tears threatened to form. "Thanks guys." And Chouji was led away by medical ninja.

Hayate raised his arm. "Now the next match will show on screen now."

The eyes focused on the screen as it rolled through all remaining names. The matches had been tight-lipped. All evenly eventful and a thing of beauty to watch. At this point, all combatants were ready to be part of the array of battle.

Hinata Hyuuga versus Kiba Inuzuka

**O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O**

**DUH DUH DUH! Lol one battle, but I'll try to upload more, at a faster rate.**

**Not much to say but this is it for this chappie.**

**Thanks for reading…and reviewing? :P**


	9. Chapter 9

**HWA! **

**Hey guys, im back with a new instalment of New paths! A few things I should mention. I changed the title from 'Inviting the dark' to 'Naruto: New Paths' mainly because inviting the dark seemed a little too dreary and uninviting. And while Naruto has a darker persona, I wouldn't consider him a majorly dark character like most other dark Naruto based stories, so even though he is a darker person, I decided to change to a title that seemed more inviting.**

**Many other things have gone on in my life, but I've tried to make room for my new chappie, I know your excited for a Hinata/Kiba battle.**

**Now, like my previous chapter(but I will state again) Kiba and a few others are a bit OOC because the chuunin exams while helping to place the story line and follow through with the final portion, im going through the character development of characters. Kishi doesn't really explain why people get their persona's and leaves us to guess. (Excluding the more major characters) However I myself shall go more into detail.**

**The main OOC thing however that I don't want flames for is Kiba, while he still views Hinata normally, he respects her a bit less since Kiba was usually only loyal to his team members and in this story, Hinata is not one of them.**

**And a few of you might post about this so ill get it out of the way. Yes, I finally did purchase Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, and I will say it is quite fantastic. There were only a few things about it that I didn't enjoy.**

**The character roster was good, but each person was only given one jutsu and one Ougi/Ultimate jutsu, which is a downgrade from the first game minus the ougis. Coupled with the fact that the Ougi's were so short kinda bothered me. I understand they made them shorter to not drag them out during the online matches, but if they did that, they could have at least given an option jutsu or ougi, the fighting just seemed really restricted in that sense, which kind of limited the experience. The other thing I didn't like is the online. Yes its fun and I play it frequently, placing me in the top 250 players of the world, but as you rank higher, the players get cheap. Not much in the fighting sense(but I shall say Puppet user spammers are annouying), but they usually turn off the game when they lose, or I've even seen hackers online. I'd be higher in rank but I don't play as often as others because I have stuff to do. LIKE WRITING THIS AMAZING STORY!**

**But I do have a lot of fun playing, especially in the unranked match. And I recommend it to anyone with a PS3 or xBox360 Shout out to ChewieCookies for lots of online fun :D**

**For those of you who have this game on PS3, send me an online friend request, I go by Kimiten_raze.**

_**IMPORTANT! READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN STORY!**_

**Some of you had concerns about my OC Kimiten. Some you liked him because it would cause a plot twist, some of you thought my story was fine without him(which im happy you said that, because it means you like my story :P) And some of you were neutral. I will state that the reason I put him in the story is that Kimiten has been an ongoing OC of mine for years and I wanted to give him a little shine, but not steal the light. He won't be involved in the main story very much after the Chuunin exams, but will probably make an appearance later on, probably in events revolving around Kabuto and Orochimaru. However, I tried not to just throw him in for my own entertainment, and I already have a plot revolving Kimiten that will make him more attached to the main story instead of him giving off the vibe of a filler character. You'll see what I mean in later chapters.**

**But the main message is, Kimiten won't be included as annoyingly often as you might all anticipate, so you don't have to worry if you don't like OC's, and I'll try to make his scenes as comfortable as I can. Also, I tend to notice usually only the best stories have an OC somewhere :P**

"**Naruto's True Nindo" = The old man that Naruto meets.**

"**Naruto vs Sasuke: The Aftermath = No specific permanent OC, but quite a few poke their heads in.**

**I'd go on but you get my point. Just try to bear with Kimiten if you don't like him and for those of you who do, well this isn't a message for you as much as the others :P**

**Also, I was sure I'd posted this in a previous chapter but I haven't apparently, or maybe I have but I won't check again. When all fight scene chapters are done, I'll be deleting them all and reposting them all in the same chapter for one super long, super action packed, super fluffed up chuunin exam special!**

**Without further Adieu, here is your newest chapter!**

**O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O**

Kiba versus Hinata

As soon as the names were read, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She hoped for a fight, and yet she didn't. She was worried, and somehow determined. It was finally time to show the world was she was made of. No ands, ifs, or buts. This was the real deal. No hidden meanings, no exceptions, no practice run, this was a no holds barred 1 on 1 battle.

Hinata focused her gaze toward the floor where she planned to jump to. It was time.

It was time…

Naruto noticed she hadn't made a motion to move for a bit, and a slight pang of worry hit him.

"Don't tell me you're going to quit…" He asked disappointedly. Hinata's head shot back up to meet his gaze, meeting his challenge as well as his eyes. Hinata smiled.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time."

Naruto raised a brow questioningly . "It's only been 3 matches Hinata, I wouldn't exactly say it's been a long time." He chuckled slightly, although he wasn't sure why he was laughing.

Hinata took on a look of longing and remembrance, remembering her past. She hadn't waited 3 matches. She'd been waiting her entire life to prove she had what it took, not just to be a ninja, but a person.

"It's been much longer Naruto…I'm sure you would understand…" She could only mutter before turning around to take off. Naruto was deep in thought at the meaning to her words, but his eyes snapped open when he remembered something else.

He reached hastily for her hand before she made her jump, stopping her.

Although Hinata wasn't stopped by him pulling her back, she immediately stopped as soon as she felt his rough hand touch her own. She turned to meet his gaze.

"Hinata, there's something you shouldn't forget. When Asuma and Kurenai were talking about Shino's genjutsu, Kurenai said '_Of course, I'm a genjutsu specialist-why wouldn't I teach all my students genjutsu?_' That can imply that she taught Kiba a genjutsu too, just make sure your aware, kay?"

Hinata smiled, she'd nearly forgotten that fact. "Thank you Naruto-kun, I'll make sure I remember." Finally turning around, she jumped down to the battle field.

Kiba was reminiscing his strategy for this fight. Every Jonin sensei had a special motto that they go by, and they test their students with the survival exercise to determine whether or not they can conduct this skill. Kurenai explained to them her motto once his team had passed the test.

'_Always plan ahead, pay attention, and remember every little thing where it counts.'_

Kiba at first had failed miserably at that during the survival exercise. He hadn't planned anything, he wasn't paying attention, and he didn't memorize any details to his sensei's ambush. Nothing could be more embarrassing than running face first into a tree trying to bull rush a lady.

Shino stood beside his passive and silent partner. Kiba really learned his lesson that day, but no way in hell had his motives or attitudes been changed at all. Kiba once got too comfortable hanging out with Shino because Shino was a 'bro', and Kiba started talking a little too personally about his sexual attractions and what he liked. Kiba often muttered about bothering having Sakura on his team was. He stated that Sakura in her own right was pretty but compared to many she was not much of a looker anymore.

This is where Shino worried he might be the sole passing member of his team during these exams.

For Kiba stated one of the hottest girls in his graduation class was Hinata. Sakura was actually there to hear that part, and she could not for the life of herself understand how Hinata would be considered attractive and she stated this, but Kiba remarked, 'I've seen her take off her jacket when she was training after class, and if you saw what I'd seen, you'd probably go lesbian.' To which he received a large smack.

So much like Naruto had just done, Shino placed a hand on the Inuizuka's shoulder, and pulled the boy to look at him.

"Watch yourself Kiba. Like Sakura, I'm sure you would have believed a match against Naruto would have been easy and I shall admit, I'd have thought so too. But look how the fight turned out; Naruto won and Sakura was humiliatingly defeated. I'm sure Hinata is no different."

Kiba chuckled; he raised his arm to chest level and flexed it, squeezing the muscle with his other hand as a slight warm up.

"That's the most I've heard you talk in ages Shino."

"Than you know I'm serious, don't let her distract you."

"You got my word." He swore, as he rushed down the stairs to meet his opponent.

On a more secluded end of a stand, Kankuro shivered slightly at Hinata's pupils.

"What the hell? She BLIND? How the hell is this even legal to put a blind ninja in the chuunin exams?" He mocked slightly but Gaara narrowed his eyes in focus.

"Shut up." He merely said, and in a second Kankuro considered installing a zipper to himself. Gaara was a very powerful boy, even if he was the youngest in the family they had. Despite being common sand ninja, the three siblings of the sand were truly the children of the Kazekage, the ruler of the sand village. Gaara never spoke to his father, and Kankuro could sympathize.

Would you talk to someone who tried to kill you?

The Kazekage had tried to kill Gaara not because he hated his son, but he viewed him as a monster for an irreversible reason. Gaara had a demon sealed within him in his navel. 12 years ago, the host of the demon previously was going to die soon, and an elderly woman named Chiyo saved the village by using her knowledge in sealing to transfer the demon to Gaara. Although Gaara had to carry the demon, most people found him the demon itself, and disregarded him. Gaara was sad but never evil or scary before. But when the demon first spoke to him when he was 8 years of age, and told Gaara he could give him a reason to live, Gaara started dealing with the demon and learning more about how to use it's skills in combat, despite the dastardly response he received from his family members when they figured out he even had contact with Shukaku, the one tailed beast.

This is why everyone in the village now feared him instead of hated him. Would you fuck with a boy who had the power of a millennium year old demon?

Gaara broke Kankuro from his thoughts.

"That fool clad in green beet that useless Temari. The girl before you is probably no different…" He trailed off, standing still and motionless, thinking of all the strong ninja in the arena. "I will kill them all. That is my reason….for **living!**" He stated in a hollow manner, the voice of the demon within him overriding his own once again.

Kankuro however still didn't dare to comment.

Back in the field, Hinata and Kiba finally entered their relative stances. Hinata was determined and Kiba was cautious. Naruto was the worst in the class, if he got this strong, he'd hate to see how far Hinata had gone, or worse, Sasuke himself!

Naruto looked on with a slightly worried gaze, and was scolding himself for being such a weenie. He'd just told Hinata to not worry for Chouji earlier, and now he was getting all sappy and worrying too. Despite this, he turned to Sasuke.

"Think she can do it?"

Sasuke looked down at them. "I dunno." He replied with a studying state. It wasn't that Sasuke didn't care, but he wasn't so nervous like his teammate. Which kind of made Naruto jealous in a sense- he'd been trying to keep his worries on the down low, but Sasuke was doing a better job of it and was probably not even trying.

However, currently Naruto was not willing to be occupied with such a trivial detail, and found himself watching the match that had him on nerves edges.

Hayate rolled his shouler once before lifting that shoulders arm respectfully.

"May the match between the combatants, Hinata and Kiba, now ensue."

Hinata's nerves hit her like a train traveling at the maximum speed. She nearly dashed for Kiba directly, but stopped herself and stumbled.

Kiba was alert and noticed this as well, but his nerves were of a more positive outlook, and instead dashed with a sharp eye. Akamaru, his canine, companion not falling behind.

Hinata's eyes widened by her mistake, but she righted herself by rolling in the direction she stumbled in, and evaded Kiba. However, her form had been sloppy.

Kiba turned around again, showing his claws as he dashed off his bent knee. Hinata stood quickly and was alert for his assault.

She narrowed her eyes in a wavering concentration, and spun on her heel. **"Rotation!"** In no time, a large sphere encompassed her. Kiba's eyes widened as his momentum carried him to the ball, but reflexes kicked in, and he jumped over the ball with a front flip and landed on the other side of the rotation. He watched as the ball spun, waiting for it to finish and winked to Akamaru who was still on Hinata's other side, and he barked.

Hinata stopped the rotation after not feeling an impact.

'_What's he planning?'_

As soon as the velocity of the rotation slowed, Kiba threw 3 kunai at Hinata's limbs. She was quick to dodge, but then Akamaru came up behind her with a ninja wire and ran around her quickly, tying her legs together. Hinata, having just moved her legs to dodge the kunai, started to fall over, but Kiba was upon her and with a quick burst of speed, punched her in the chest as she flew back a few feet.

As Hinata skidded and rolled, she untangled herself and slid to her feet painfully.

Naruto gripped the railing in front of him. And Kakashi could only comment.

"She's nervous." Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Why…why is there a reason to be nervous? If that were me I'd be fine…" He argued, slightly wishing that his level of thinking would reach Hinata. Kakashi put a hand on the boys shoulder.

"Not everyone is like you Naruto. Hinata is a shy person, it's hard for her to compete under all these eyes watching and judging."

Kiba flexed his hand with a shock however. He hadn't meant to punch her THERE…..

Although no one noticed, Kiba had punched her chest and felt her breast on the side of his wrist. He blushed, but shook it aside.

Shino noticed this, and nodded approvingly.

Hinata stood with a labored breath. However that wasn't too major of an injury. She nearly buckled under the pressure of the eyes on her. She almost wanted to quit. She wanted it all to be over and done, she wanted-"

Soon her desperate eyes reached Naruto's worried ones. Of all the people watching, he mattered the most to her.

**I notice you more than anyone else. **He had told her.

Her eyes narrowed as she remembered his wonderful words. He noticed her, but if she failed more, than he would only notice her in a bad way, she wanted to desperately change that. Hinata needed to be as close as perfect as she could in this fight. She still stared at Naruto while alert for Kiba, and smiled at him.

Naruto remained impassive, but he wondered what this mysterious young lady was thinking, and why she was smiling at him, almost conveying some secret message he could not decode. It troubled him to great extremes.

Hinata sighed a long smooth sigh, bordering more on a long outtake of breath, trying to calm her nerves. She knew what she would need to do to truly face her fears and worries. If she didn't face them all now, they would haunt her.

Hinata reached for the zipper of her loose jacket, pulling it down and open, letting it drop to the floor as the cool, unfamiliar breeze filled the crevices of her skin her jacket had once covered. This left her in nothing but a tight T-shirt that just reached the hem of her pants. The shortness of the shirt teasing a man to wish it would role up to reveal her creamy skin.

One of Hinata's largest worries came from her consciousness of her figure.

Abuse from her father left her to believe she wasn't worthy to be looked at. As she grew into a teenager, those fears turned into self consciousness of her body instead of her shame of the family. She knew to face all of her fears; she needed to rid herself of the shell she wore.

Kiba's eyes buggered out of his sockets at the once familiar sight before him, remembering that shapely figure very well. Naruto couldn't help but blush at her bold move. Even Sasuke had to stop the red tint on his cheeks as he closed his flustered virgin eyes for before composing himself and regained his composure. Even Ino couldn't help but be slightly unnerved by her slenderness.

Hinata noticed the eyes and she blushed with shame, thinking that they thought she was hideous. But she had done it, she faced it and it was over.

She turned to Kiba still gawking at her, and she was suddenly filled with an overwhelming hatred. They thought she was ugly, a nasty monster. Soon her anger boiled to rage. She became angry with everyone's calculated gaze. Why did everyone have to judge her? It wasn't fair! She was shy, but she also had pride. Her fists shook at her side as her anger overwhelmed her.

"_**Don't look at me!"**_ She yelled furiously and made a mad dash for Kiba. Kiba was taken by surprise when she was upon him with a deadly palm to the chakra points in his right shoulder.

He cried out in pain as the hit forced his body to do a 360 turn in the same spot, only to be met by another hit in the opposite shoulder, repeating the effect in the opposite direction.

Once he was facing her again, she flew an onslaught of hits at him, automatically activating the Byakugan to view his chakra networks as she pelted away at his chakra points in a rage.

Hinata was in a focused rage of power. Her eyes darted to new chakra points faster than she could remember ever doing so before.

Here! There! That way! This one! She kept repeating as she quickly struck the pinheaded chakra points, counting in her head how many she had hit as a subconscious way to help keep focused on the task. Soon she started to whisper them out loud in her hazy focus.

"…4…8…16…" She whispered, only stating the double of the previous number. With each hit, Kiba could feel his chakra being sapped away, or merely, sealed away. Hinata started to scream with each hit.

"32!"

However, Akamaru was upon her in a moment and leaped at her blurring arms.

Hinata noticed this through the Byakugan, and spun around once and sent a large palm on the dog's stomach, and the dog skidded back painfully. Kiba's eyes widened at seeing his companion knocked back, but saw his escape. He jumped back and threw a kunai at Hinata forcing her to dodge back as well, earning him considerable distance from Hinata, and beside Akamaru.

"Take this pill, you know what to do."

Akamaru barked and ate the chakra pill his master handed him, and Kiba ate one as well. Akamaru started to turn red in fur color and his attitude became more feral. Hinata noticed a boost in chakra from both.

"Alright Hinata, you forced me to use this!" He yelled. Kiba bent low into a charging position, and Akamaru jumped onto his back.

"**Ninja art of beast mimicry: Man beast clone!"**

This time, instead of the human transforming, Akamaru turned into a copy of Kiba, and jumped off of his master and to his side. Kiba made additional hand signs and suddenly he distorted from sight. Hinata gasped.

"What?"

'_Is it his genjutsu? Why can't I see through it with the Byakugan?' _She pondered.

But soon the humanoid Akamaru was upon her spinning ferociously like a top and yelled in Kiba's voice.

"**Fang over fang!"**

Hinata jumped over the spinning clone but was suddenly impacted by something invisible as she was sent flying back and crashed into the wall with a mighty noise.

"Gah!" She coughed blood and saw that Akamaru was watching her to see if she made a move.

"Why can't I/she see his genjutsu!" Both Naruto and Hinata muttered as he watched on and she fought hard.

Kakashi, being the handy dandy teacher he was, filled in once more. "The Byakugan like the Sharingan has many different stages in which it's seeing and eye techniques increase. I'm going to suspect that his genjutsu is too high leveled for Hinata's current Byakugan level to detect."

Kurenai stepped in. "Yes, I figured that this type of genjutsu fit Kiba's style of ruthlessness. But there are 2 critical weaknesses. It only takes away from the sight of the opponent, and it takes up much chakra to contain. The fact that Kiba is using this after having some of his chakra sealed, and also with the Fang over Fang technique, he's prone to run out of chakra soon. If Hinata can thwart this, I can't see how Kiba would have enough chakra to keep going. If he uses too many pills in between intervals of time that aren't long enough, he'll suffer the effect of an overdose."

"That technique she was using to seal his chakra network… that was a secret Hyuuga technique known as the '8 trigrams 64 palms'. She told me she hadn't learned that." Neji commented.

All of team 7 chuckled and Sasuke spoke for the first time in a while. "Hinata may be shy, but she's the type of person to learn new things in the heat of battle, which is a shame because Hinata doesn't like to fight much in the first place."

Naruto turned and focused on the match, knowing that Hinata was in grave danger. She was so close to victory, but so close to failure, he worried for her wellbeing as she sported labored breathing.

'_Kiba's defiantly tougher than Sakura…' _was his only thought.

Hinata noticed Akamaru spinning at her again. Once again she jumped over him as he tunneled into the wall, but this time she knew what was to come.

"**Rotation!" **She called out as she waited for the real Kiba to impact the sphere.

Soon enough, it came, fighting the rotation in a furious battle of sparking chakra. Until both Kiba (visible or not) skidded back. The invisible Kiba grunted as his invisible body was flung back .. And Hinata widened her eyes at this.

"I can…hear him…" She muttered weakly.

So, she knew she could hear him. However, Hinata's powers were within her eyes, and she wanted double affirmation that she could track him. She attempted to pulse chakra into her Byakugan to enhance her vision, but to no avail. It seemed it was a battle of sound with Kiba.

Akamaru charged at her with spinning ferocity towards Hinata again. She skillfully dodged him as she noticed the sound of the real Kiba again.

"_Here it comes!" _She thought.

The sound was muffled and didn't seem to come from any direction. But she could hear it. Soon, the muffled sound, while still muffled increased volume. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, until she could feel the ground shake.

"Below!"

She jumped up high from the ground, just as the ground crumbled and gave way to an invisible spinning top that came up. Hinata narrowed her eyes and only one thought ran through her.

'_Naruto…'_

Soon, she herself started to spin.

"**Rotation!"** She yelled as the giant blue sphere collided with Kiba, sparks and chakra erupting from the area of the collision. However, Hinata's rotation was stronger, and coupled with the fact that it repelled as well as defended, Kiba was sent crashing to the earth. He finally lost control of his genjutsu and he became visible.

Hinata wasn't finished as she descended down after Kiba as he plummeted to the floor, and crashed down on him with a palm to his chest, earning a cry of pain. Only one comment was uttered from Kiba.

"Damn…you're pretty hot." As he fell into unconsciousness.

"Eeep!" Hinata yelled as she jumped off him. Hayate was beside her in a second, checking on Kiba. Hinata, knowing that she had won, looked toward Naruto and smiled.

Naruto still couldn't understand why she was always looking at him. Little did he know that if he wasn't there, she would not have the confidence and focus to face Kiba.

Hayate checked his vitals to see if medical attention was required. All that had been damaged was his chakra network, and those would reopen soon enough.

"Kiba is unconscious and unable to continue. However he does not require medical assistance. Hinata is victorious."

"Woah, Hinata was awesome…" Ino sighed with awe, and Shikamaru could only agree without comment. Kiba was hefted up to the sides and was set down against the wall. Kurenai knelt beside him and ruffled his hair.

"You did fine, you stupid mutt. Your only mistake was forgetting she could feel you coming and not just hear you." She whispered as she stood up again, and Hinata walked passed her.

"Hinata!"

Hinata turned to her. "Yes?"

Kurenai smiled. "You did fine work, I'm sure your father would be proud." She announced. Kurenai had been something of a special sensei to Hinata. Her father had disregarded her and left her in the care of Kurenai, who while Hiashi never cared for, noticed she treated Hinata as a mother figure in the academy. Poor Hinata even heard Hiashi call her weak trash towards Kurenai when she was listening in on one of their convorsations. It was because of this that Iruka was meant to put Hinata in Kurenai's squad. However, when Naruto killed Mizuki and chose Hinata as his female teammate, everything had been re-done.

Hinata showed sad eyes but a glad smile. "Thank you." She whispered as she walked back towards her team, when surprisingly, Naruto bombarded her with worry.

"Hinata! Are you okay?" He asked. Before he had been jealous of Sasuke's skill to remain dark and cool even in Hinata's case. But Naruto realized he should just give up this trait in Hinata's case, as he instinctively always had an eye out for her.

"Naruto I'm fine…" She tried to argue. She didn't want him to worry, and she wanted to feel like she had completely dominated Kiba, even though in reality he'd almost beaten her.

"No your not!" He argued sharply. "You're a mess…" He said in a lower tone calming his nerves down. He'd been worried the entire match. "Look at you're…" Naruto trailed off as his eyes scanned her wounded stomach. It had been ripped open when Kiba hit her with the Fang over Fang. The gash was circular in shape and red. Surrounding it was a ring of creamy unwounded skin, and the rest was still covered by the undamaged area of her shirt. Naruto was hit with a sense of extra worry to see the wound up close, and was mesmerized by the healthy skin. It seemed to fill him with an eerie calmness and yet worry.

Naruto didn't speak as he reached slowly and touch her wound with hazy eyes. Hinata yelped.

"Ow!"

"Uhh sorry Hinata…Do you have ointment? Will it hurt an open wound?"

"Yes…I-I have ointment, and n-no…it won't…hurt too much…I think." Hinata stuttered, slightly nervous at how Naruto stared. Did it really look that wounded? She set her thoughts aside and handed him the ointment. He opened it and rubbed his finger lightly across small areas of the wound. Hinata remembered the all familiar touch of Naruto applying the ointment.

But soon Hinata started to feel a pang in her stomach as his hand descended lower. She couldn't explain it. Like hot water rushing down her back and turning cold as it reached her knees making her shiver with a pleasure she'd never felt. Naruto started rubbing the wound harder to get into the tight crevices of the ripped up skin. And soon it felt like a knot was being tied in her stomach. It filled her with a feeling so extremely foreign she started to become nervous and she stopped Naruto.

"Um..Naruto, I think I'll be fine." She muttered.

Naruto only raised a brow at her strange behavior but thought nothing of it. He smiled. "You did great Hinata, I'm happy you won. If Sasuke lost now, I'd laugh my ass off." He commented with a snort. Hinata giggled and Sasuke's eyes narrowed into thin lines in mock anger.

"We'll see." He challenged.

"The next combatants will show on screen now."

The screen text rolled and rolled, until finally, 2 names were picked.

Shikamaru Nara versus Tenten.

**O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O**

**Well this chapter ended up longer than i anticipated. But I suppose that's better then it is unexpected. What to say…there really isn't much I haven't talked about in the opening AU, so I'll leave you to your daily lives. Also, lately I've been having trouble concentrated on pretty much anything, so if I made a strange spelling error it's to be expected, but please let me know so I may fix it.**

**Thank you and I hope you enjoyed.**


	10. Chapter 10

**All right people, this is going to be the next installation: chapter 10 **

**Oh and one thing, I put a lot of time into this fight considering it will involve the smartest ninja, combined with probably the most overkill one, so lets see how this turns out.**

**And now the long awaited Shikamaru vs Tenten!**

**O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O**

Shikamaru and Tenten both made their ways down to the field. Not much could be said about the two combatants – one was fun loving and extreme, the other, the exact opposite.

"Battle Shikamaru Nara versus Tenten. Begin!"

Shikamaru was perfectly content with sitting there and doing nothing, however, Tenten jumped into action immediately. She threw 3 kunai with 100% accuracy, but Shikamaru actually caught the kunai right out of the air.

"That's nice aim, I'll give you that." Shikamaru commented, "I've seen you train sometimes, so let me tell you: Perfect aim won't help you on a moving, living target that can think for itself."

Naruto looked on with interest. "He caught those kunai without even blinking…damnit, I want that!" He cursed, "how did he do it?"

"Well Naruto", Kakashi started, "He did it the same way I deflected your shuriken with my foot during the bell test: from the non-lethal side. I'm surprised that he has the focus and hand-eye coordination to pull that off at his age though."

"Well, Shikamaru has an IQ of over 200 points, so it isn't too surprising." Asuma commented.

"Over 200!" Sasuke yelped. Asuma only nodded, but it was Naruto who decided to pay close attention to Shikamaru's fight – if Naruto could predict Shikamaru's moves, or think of a way that they could be conteracted, would he be considered more intelligent?

Back at the battle, Tenten only smirked. "You're sadly mistaken if you think that's all I've got."

"I never said that, I just said aim won't help you, not on me anyway."

"Not on you huh? And I supposed that's supposed to mean your special or something?"

Shikamaru smirked. "I'm not special, which is why its even more embarrassing of you to lose to me, which by the way, I can guarantee will happen."

"Grrr" Was all she remarked. She flexed her arms and legs, throwing kunai in every direction that had thick ninja wire attached to them, creating a spider's web of wire.

"**Ninja Art! Caged Encampment!"** She yelled, jumping between ninja wire, bouncing off and landing on top of it, throwing kunai as she jumped and sling shot her way around the room.

'_Interesting' _Shikamaru thought.

"You're going to have to do better then that." He exclaimed, as he brought his own kunai to cut the ropes as he dodged, but to no avail – the wire was too thick and strong.

'_Thick wire huh? I wonder…'_ He pondered to himself.

"I've got you!" Tenten yelled as she was suddenly behind Shikamaru, bringing up her kunai to strike. Unfortunately for her, Shikamaru's nerves were up, however surprised he was, and grabbed her wrist behind him, and using her arm and weight for support, flipped backwards and above Tenten, so that he was behind her.

The quick move Shikamaru pulled off caught Tenten off guard, and he used the moment to back away – Shikamaru was bewildered.

'_How did she get behind me like that? Did she catch me off guard?' _All the while, Shikamaru, was watching Tenten attentively, until once again, he felt something behind him.

"Again!" Tenten called. Shikamaru gasped and looked behind, seeing Tenten, and observing that indeed Tenten was no longer in front of him. With some quick maneuvering, Shikamaru slid backwards away from the deadly weapons master. However, Shikamaru forgot the area was filled to the brim with ninja wire, and his motion away from the kunoichi was halted.

"I have you now!" She yelled and threw 3 shuriken, which Shikamaru was forced to block with his arms.

'_Got him!' _She celebrated mentally. _'I don't think he's noticed that I've been using clones to confuse him. I just make clones as I slingshot my way around the room, engaging his attention by throwing weapons to divert his attention. Anytime he looks away due to the weapons, I switch places with a clone, and since he's so intent on staring me down to try and come up with a counter attack, he doesn't look around because of it, I just swoop in behind him!'_

Neji up in the stalls smirked, Tenten was executing her plan perfectly. He'd heard from Guy that there were worthwhile rookies to worry about, even if they were newly graduates. Among them were Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru, Shino, and Hinata. Initially, he'd never allow himself to believe Hinata to be any sort of threat, but after seeing her display against Kiba, and after Naruto's speech about destiny, he had to admit otherwise.

He'd thought the same of Naruto, as Naruto was dead last in the academy, but obviously Naruto had his own arsenal. Sasuke was number 1 rookie of his year, so he could only expect some skill. Shino and Shikamaru he heard little about, only that Shikamaru had an IQ of over 200, which Guy, who was told by Asuma, told his team to keep them on alert.

The fact that Tenten had one of the ninja that he was told to look out for on the ropes had him smirking with pride, even if he didn't really know why.

Shikamaru however was frustrated, he tried to come up with a plan earlier but Tenten's swift actions weren't letting up. He knew she had to be doing something during the period of time that he dodges her projectiles, but now I was time to counter.

"**Shadow possession jutsu!"** He yelled, as his shadow beneath him stretched ahead of him, running for Tenten, who although she didn't know what the jutsu's effect was, knew that she should stay away from it. She back flipped and cart wheeled herself away, noticing the narrowing of the shadow as it extended further and further, until it could no longer move. She smirked, finding the weakness.

"Looks like there really is a limit to all jutsu huh?" She remarked smartly.

"Your right, but have you really found out everything that goes with the shadow possession?"

"Well looks like it – your shadow extends to do whatever it does once it touches me, and it can only extend a certain distance."

Shikamaru chuckled. "Yeah, BUT are you certain it needs to be MY shadow?" On cue, his extended shadow morphed and extended into different directions, attaching themselves to the shadows of the suspended wires, reconnecting with the 'main' shadow and back again to advance towards the weapons mistress.

"Urg." Tenten could only curse as she found herself on the move again, when she thought.

'_Shadows! Of course…' _She jumped on top of her wire and stayed elevated above the ground.

"What now smart guy? Your shadows are only casted on the ground, as long as I stay on my wire, I'm safe." Tenten remarked.

Shikamaru didn't say anything. Instead, he kneeled on one leg, and brought his hands together, inverted underneath him to make a 'ball' shape, and closed his eyes in concentration.

Naruto raised his brow in 'James Bond-esque' fashion. "What's with the weird hand sign? Another jutsu?" He questioned, trying to decipher Shikamaru's tactic. Asuma chuckled.

"Trust me, that's no hand sign, but that doesn't mean that when one see's that sign, they shouldn't tremble in fear…heh." He claimed, laughing because he recounted a moment he had with Shikamaru.

_Flashback_

"_So…" Asuma mumbled, as he and Shikamaru played Shogi. He saw his opportunity. His rook and knights had the king surrounded. The only way Shikamaru could protect himself would be to sacrifice his rook, and the only long moving pieces he had left were a bishop and a knight. It would be much easier to win with the rook out of the way._

"_So what?" Shikamaru continued._

"_What will you do now?" He questioned with a smirk. He'd never been able to beat Shikamaru at Shogi, with bothered him since he should have had the superior tactical mind of the two. Now however, it seemed he had Shikamaru on the ropes._

_Shikamaru looked on with interest. "Well I do have to say, your 'silver stairs' tactic is a new one, and I'm surprised you were able to use it on me. You've gotten better at this."_

_Asuma didn't say anything. All he thought of was 'come ooooon. Tell me that you're at a loss!'_

_Shikamaru closed his eyes, taking in the picture of the battle field in his mind, and balled his fingertips to each other, creating a ball under him. Asuma raised his brow in interest, and this went on for a few seconds, when Shikamaru smirked, his eyes closed still. With his eyes closed, he reached for his bishop, and took Asuma's rook that was threatening his own rook, and the only unprotected angle in which Asuma believed only the rook could protect._

"_Gha…" Asuma shivered silently, cursing his luck._

_End Flashback_

Shikamaru's eyes snapped opened. He was no fool – he had been paying very close attention to the surrounding area. In fact, he release his chakra in a dome like manner, so any clone Tenten would make would be sensed because they would interfere with his constant chakra release. Yes, this burned his chakra more then he would like, but he needed to carry his plan out without any holes in his strategy. Shikamaru observed the wires, seeing that indeed, they were in the right spot, in the right way. Tenten was standing attentively, but on the ready.

"**Shadow possession jutsu!"** Shikamaru called, but this time, instead of reaching forward and using the shadows of the wires, the shadows raced to the side, up the wall, and onto the wire.

Shikamaru had eyed the wire carefully. Tenten's accuracy was 100%, and threw her weapons farther and faster than most people he had seen. Part of her technique was that she spun the said weapon to increase the velocity, power, and to repel any wind resistance to meet its target. If Tenten used that technique, then the wire must have been violently twisted along the length. Shikamaru had Tenten's actions to thank for knowing this…

**Shikamaru slid backwards away from the deadly weapons master. However, Shikamaru forgot the area was filled to the brim with ninja wire, and his motion away from the kunoichi was halted.**

Shikamaru had recounted that moment when he had closed his eyes to think, and he remembered that when he had looked back to look at the wire when it halted him, he remembered seeing the wire's spiral and twisted pattern. The memory of the twisted wire was not even a memory that he consciously recorded, but when he used that handsign, it was like he could see from every angle.

The relevance of the wire being twisted was that it curved in on itself – it was twisted so much that it in fact, would cast shadows on itself.

Tenten raised her brow in interest, but remained calm. _'Those shadows have a limit; he can't reach me like this…'_

However, using the shadows of the twisted wire, he was able to use those shadows to increase the length of his shadow possession, and before Tenten knew it, they were upon her. She had no choice but to jump away from the shadows coming upon her.

Shikamaru smirked at his victory. There was no place she could hide now. Be it the floor, or atop the wire, she could not be safe from the shadow jutsu, and reluctantly, she retracted the wire, knowing it was hindering her now. Unfortunately, this meant that she would have to use her secret weapon – his reflexes were too great for simple tricks.

"Well, I gotta say I didn't expect things to turn out like this. I wanted to save this for the finals, but I see I have no choice but to use it!" With that claim, Tenten took out two scrolls, seemed to judge some distance, back flipped, never taking her eyes of Shikamaru, and jumped high, unrolling the scrolls as her distance climbed.

"**Rising Twin Dragons!"**

The scrolls at both her sides had many symbols on them. When she touched the symbols, a weapon would 'pop' into existence, and she would throw it. She did this at lightning speed.

Shikamaru had an idea in his mind. It would be win or lose by guarantee, all on the efficiency of his next move.

Naruto in the stalls smirked. "I know what he's…going to do." He crossed his bare arms triumphantly.

Hinata looked at him curiously, even if she had already been looking at him previously. heH He was just so HOT!

"What is he planning Naruto-kun?"

Naruto resisted the urge to chuckle. "I can tell you it's dangerous, but maybe you can just watch…"

"That's gonna be hard to do…" Hinata murmured to herself, biting her lip at the view of Naruto. Luckily he hadn't heard her, but suddenly Hinata slapped herself mentally. She had been ignoring her strange thoughts, but now confronted it.

'_What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking like this so much…it's so unlike me.'_

She thought again of Naruto, and how much he changed, could it be so surprising that she was changing too? Then again, Naruto didn't change in terms of how he thought of girls…did he? Her swirling thoughts frustrated her bowls.

"I'm afraid I can't, I suddenly need to go to the bathroom…" She said with a blush of embarrassment.

Naruto simply smiled. "That's fine Hinata. Go ahead, hehe." He replied. Hinata turned on the ball of her foot and began trotting. Naruto turned back to the match.

Meanwhile back at the battlefield, Shikamaru watched as the weapons raced onward toward him.

'_Just a few more seconds…'_

'_One…' _The weapons cruised closer._ 'Two'…_Kunai, shurikens, chains. _'three…' _Blades, butterfly knives, sharp staffs. _'Now!'_

"**Shadow Possession Jutsu!"** His shadow rushed, connecting with the shadow of the oncoming weaponry so that it could continue its pursuit. Shikamaru knew that the weapons would not stop their movement until Tenten was actually hit with the jutsu. If he couldn't get her before the weapons hit him, he would lose for sure. If he hit her before that though…

Tenten saw the jutsu racing, and panicked. She threw weapons faster in a frenzy. "Come on come on come on!" She yelled, then she realaxed. She was suspended in the air! There's no way a shadow can cast itself onto her in the air, shadows need solid matter to project themselves.

Surely enough however, Shikamaru's shadow raced up her twin scrolls, much to her dismay. "You have GOT to be kidding!" She cursed, and tried to summon a sharp weapon in which to cut the scroll short and cut off the shadow in the process. Which was exactly what Shikamaru wanted.

As Tenten places her hand on the scroll to summon a sharp weapon, Shikamaru's shadow touched her hand when it made contact.

"Success!" Shikamaru yelled triumphantly.

Shikamaru looked at the weaponry mere inches from him and sighed with relief once they all fell to the ground with a plop and 'pop'. However, it wasn't over, Tenten was now falling, immobilized, to the ground in a standing position, which looked pretty awkward. Shikamaru quickly lay on his stomach, flat on the floor, and Tenten followed suit, falling towards the floor, she could only brace herself for impact.

"Release." Shikamaru called, moments before she hit the ground, as to not feel the same thing Tenten would feel.

"Ah!" She yelled moments before she hit the floor, flat, from several meters up, knocking her unconscious.

Hayate inspected the unconscious figure, and nodded again.

"And out with a bang, the winner is Shikamaru Nara!"

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

Hinata raced towards the bathroom stalls, after carefully reading the bathroom female and male signs, (because after all, she still didn't want to walk into the wrong room) she walked into the women's bathrooms, inwardly cheering that no one was there – she never liked doing her business in front or around others.

She sat down on the toilet and did her business, still not believing herself for the…perverse thoughts that she was thinking so naturally as if she had done it her whole life. She shook her head in frustration, reaching for the toilet paper. She reached down and clean herself, when a new feeling swept through her when she touched herself down there.

"Ooh!" She gasped in surprise and unfamiliar feeling. And then a thought crossed her mind…

**Hinata started to feel a pang in her stomach as his hand descended lower. She couldn't explain it. Like hot water rushing down her back and turning cold as it reached her knees making her shiver with a pleasure she'd never felt. Naruto started rubbing the wound harder to get into the tight crevices of the ripped up skin. And soon it felt like a knot was being tied in her stomach. It filled her with a feeling so extremely foreign she started to become nervous and she stopped Naruto.**

Yes…she felt it then too, she realized, and soon she started thinking of Naruto, and rubbed her womanhood again slowly, earning herself a 'hnnnnnnnnnn…' sound unlike anything she ever heard herself make before.

In her mind, she could see a shirtless Naruto walk up to her…

"_Hey Hinata…" Naruto called huskily. Hinata only bit her lip more as she stared down his nakedness. Not quite however, he was still wearing his pants. Naruto seemed to read her mind, and he tugged at the belt around his waist teasingly. "You wanna seee?"_

Hinata could feel herself rub herself harder at that line, at that anticipation.

_Hinata nodded solemnly and nervously, and rubbed her somehow naked arm in an attempt to warm herself from the cold, teasing feeling she felt. Naruto smirked and she realized she was naked. He answered her desire by saying, "Well well, I guess I outta return the favour…Hinata-Chan…"_

With every word Naruto uttered, Hinata's teeth gripped harder on her mouth, and when he said her name like that, her grip on her own lip relaxed suddenly and she moaned. She couldn't fathom the movement of her desperate fingers, only the tease her Naruto-kun was doing for her.

_Hinata watched as Naruto's fingers skillfully hooked behind the thin metal bar that stuck through the belt holes, and unbuckled it. Suddenly without warning, Naruto gripped the opposite ends of the belt, and arched it around her naked waste, pulling her closer roughly, their bodies slapping together. She could feel his bulge against her womanhood, and she couldn't take how unfair it was that he was clothed. She grabbed the hems of his loose pants, and in one fell swoop, pulled down his pants and boxers, revealing him. It immediately pounced upwards, meeting her arousal with more force then she was ready for._

Hinata immediately moaned, and without warning even to herself, inserted one finger inside roughly.

"AHH!" She shouted loudly, losing herself in the pleasure she was feeling, and rested her back on the bathroom stall's wall, still sitting on the toilet seat. Naruto, in her fantasy, had inserted himself roughly, with a smile on his face, and her back slammed against the wall as she bucked her hips into her fingers violently.

"Hah…uum…hoooohhh…Na-"

"_Yessssssssss?" Naruto slurred, and licked her neck provocatively. _

Hinata couldn't answer, no words would form, even though Naruto seemed to keep his cool, and he was in complete control, and such concentration during a time that she was in disarray only impressed and turned her on more. The memories of Naruto's bare chest, and that sexy smirk of his, vaguely replayed over in her mind as she rubbed and pleasured herself faster and harder, adding more fingers and moaning louder.

"_ANSWER ME!" He demanded, and groped her ass hard that if it were real, was sure that it would hurt, but his actions were far from abusive._

Hinata was profusely sweating now, and she could embaressingly feel her sweat drip down to her breasts from her profuse moments, it suspended itself on her now pert and hardened nipple. She could feel herself drooling too. She felt that the hanging bead of sweat from her nipple added a strange sensation, and instinctly, she brought her free hand up to twirl and tease herself with her petit fingers. Her head was hanging loosely to the side and resting on her shoulder.

"Na...oooohh..I'm…feeling s-s-soooo…" She couldn't finish, as her orgasm spurt all over her hand and even squirting onto the walls of the stalls. She couldn't support herself, and her hand didn't stop its motions, that she fell to the side slowly, riding out the rest of her orgasm.

"Ooooh….Kami…." She whispered sensually, breathing heavily. When her senses finally returned, she blushed massively at her situation. She was now lying on her stomach, naked, with her legs bent, with her lower limbs above the toilet, holding her butt in the air vulnerably. She was covered in sweat and fluids, and so were the walls of the room. If Naruto were standing behind her when she were in the position…

Hinata shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of such thoughts. Even now, she couldn't understand the urges that she was feeling, and they were new to her. Still, one question made its way into her mind and mouth.

"What…the heck… was that?"

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

Naruto sneezed at the stands, and rubbed his itchy nose with the side of his index finger.

Shikamaru walked up the stairs with little interest, and rubbing his shoulders. Ino bombarded him with congratulatory phrases like 'DAMN! I didn't know you were that good!' and whatnot, but Shikamaru paid little mind. Naruto smirked, he was able to predict Shikamaru's move in the end, and he somehow took pride in seeming, at least to himself, like a tactical genius, even if he didn't show it.

Hayate raised his hand to gather the attention. "Tenten is in suitable health and has only suffered a minor concussion. Which on a personal note, is still saying a lot considering hat her opponent had not actually hit her himself."

Everyone raised their eyebrows but soon realized this was the case, Shikamaru did knock her out, but indirectly. He had never actually attacked Tenten on his own. Shikamaru shrugged.

"Hey, it's my nindo that I would never hurt any woman, even the enemy. Anyone who would hurt a woman without good cause is despicable."

Many of the watchers looked on with admiration at such a noble nindo, they were impressed.

"But enough talk," Hayate continued, "the next combatants will appear on screen now."

Sasuke Uchiha versus Kin Tsuchi

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**Bam! And there ya have it, chapter 10, well like i said, when all the fights are over im going to re release them all in one chapter but still, next installment. **

**Honestly, I lost track of my time. I hadn't realized it had been like a few months, which I felt awful about, so I uploaded as quick as I could, hope you don't mind too terribly. I'm going to try and get the fights all the way because – and ooh spoilers – the period of time between the prelims and the finals is where a ton of shit goes down, hilariously.**

**I hope you enjoyed the battle as well, I put a lot of thought into it like I said and I'm satisfied with the results.**

**SPEAKING of satisfied…uh…never mind**

**Next time Is Sasuke versus Kin Tsuchi, what will happen now? What will Hinata do now? What of Sasuke's curse seal? And even naruto's tampered seal?**

**Find out next time!**


End file.
